Haven
by Awska
Summary: Fate has brought a war-weary commando to a new home on the flagship of the Citadel fleet. Its captain is reeling under her responsibilities and being held back from the war raging all around the galaxy. Can the two find solace in each other? Matriarch Lidanya/Velana T'Ria. M for smut.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is the product of a wonderful collaboration with an amazingly talented co-author. Vel wrote her half and I the other, and we edited together. You can find her at velception . tumblr . com**

* * *

It had taken weeks for the Systems Alliance navy to take her off the active roster and return her back to Asari Command. And amidst the aftermath of the devastation on Thessia, Command had taken forever again to process her request to return to the Citadel. But finally after months of limbo, C-Sec had finally approved Vel's transfer to the flagship of the Citadel Fleet.

She took a shuttle to the massive asari-built dreadnought, and just when everything seemed to be working for her to finally start her new assignment, the liaison officer (or at least that's what Vel thought was the title of the overly scrupulous asari) told her that the captain was on her way to the mess hall for lunch.

Vel followed the signs and navigated the labyrinth-like corridors of the _Destiny Ascension_ in her standard black commando leathers and a duffle bag slung over her shoulder, finding her way to the ship's mess hall (and hoping this massive ship only had one mess hall). The silhouette of an asari caught her attention. Dressed in an impeccable uniform, the rank stripes were almost gleaming with pride on the asari's shoulders. Vel caught up and presented her transfer request. "Vanguard Velana T'Ria reporting for duty, ma'am."

Lidanya turned around at the sound, the interruption a welcome distraction from the strategic reports that had already kept her up most of the night. She raised her brow at the new arrival, a youngish maiden in standard leathers and her markings a peculiar magenta on vibrant teal skin. "A transfer request?" she asked, eying the datapad the asari had presented. "I usually _lose_ people to other fronts, not gain… Who are you with currently, the fleets? An independent unit?"

Vel shrugged. "I was on loan to the Alliance since Earth. But after Thessia... I've put in request to come back."

Lidanya passed the datapad back, and pulled up the ship roster on her OT as she picked up for the mess again. She beckoned the commando to walk with her. "I see. You are aware that the Citadel fleet should not—hopefully—be on the front lines?" she asked, flicking between the various subgroups in the roster. "Several of my commando group leaders will have room for you. Special operations on the other hand… possibly, but you must convince _them_."

"When I said 'after Thessia'..." Vel explained, smiling wearily, "I was actually _on _Thessia. I lost my unit and was extracted by an Alliance ship a month later. I think your group leaders will understand my eagerness to even the scores with the Reapers."

"…I am very sorry to hear that," Lidanya said, feeling the familiar pang of guilt over her inaction… sitting here in relative safety when war raged all around. "I have no doubt they will understand. Not being able to help has not been easy for any of us. I would like to hear about it when you come aboard, if you wish to share."

Vel smiled politely as if to soothe the flash of pang in Lidanya's eyes. She'd had to deal with her own survivor's guilt for having not saved more than she could, that and the nights of nightmares that followed. Above all, she was happy for the captain's acceptance. "Of course, ma'am. I'll be honored. Point me to the group leaders and I'll be out of your way."

"Out of my way? Cannot have that, I insist on knowing my crew," Lidanya said, smiling wanly to herself. "I hope your time with the humans did not get you used to their vast top-down hierarchies—you will have to tell me all about that," she added, idly wondering how the humans and turians managed their armies with such rigid organizations.

She brought her OT closer to the commando's to touch-transfer data. "Here are their contact details… just pick whichever suits your fancy, and contact them. Huntress Merel," she said, tapping a name in the list, "will play hard to get, but she will take you too. Whichever way you choose—if you do decide to come on board—welcome!" she added with a distracted smile as they entered the common room's dining area. "I _will _need to speak with you once you have decided."

Slightly surprised by Lidanya's interest in knowing a new subordinate (something that wasn't at all common on Alliance ships), Vel glanced around at the dining area. "I suppose I will join you for the meal, if you wish, ma'am?" she said, catching her own formality with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry... you're right. Humans do place an absurd amount of attention on protocol. I will... adjust. In time," the commando tried to cut herself off with a cough, but the last word still snuck out, "...ma'am."

Lidanya allowed the corner of her mouth curl up a little before gesturing at an empty table nearby the entrance. "I am sure you will. Please, do join me," she added, and headed for the seat. "I am certain there are benefits to such… strictness, as well. It is fascinating. Your expertise may be very helpful in dealing with our allies.

"Here you are still expected to obey your immediate superior, of course, but only because you have entrusted her with that power."

Vel followed and sat down beside Lidanya, her grin more natural now seeing the captain's faint smile. "I'm sure humans have their reason. Their military is a lot bigger than ours, perhaps they need strict discipline to keep everything in order, much like the turians."

"This is true. They are efficient. I wonder if it makes giving orders easier…" Lidanya said, trailing off as she distractedly entered her order through the menu interface. "Goddess knows my heart is no lighter for the knowledge that I have been chosen, rather than installed." She shook her head to clear it of her gloominess and the surprise that blurting out the confession had stirred. She had to be exhausted to have been so careless."Sorry, I do not mean to…"

"No, you're right," Vel said, entering her order as well. "It may sound strange but... humans are willing to let a lot get ahead of experience. Perhaps it's because of their lifespan, even the life experience of a human 'elder' is limited."

"I believe we have a good mix here," Lidanya said, not with a little pride. "Most of my squad leaders are still in their maiden years. Even I am young, barely seven hundred… Of course, that is sometimes a burden when it comes to convincing the Fora… But that is not your worry, it is mine," she added hastily, scolding herself.

Vel laughed playfully. "You barely look five hundred."

Lidanya favored the commando with a small smile. "I would like to say that flattery will get you nowhere, but I _am_ too old for that pretense… Would you tell me of this human ship you served on? Or was there more than one?"

"There were two, both were Normandy-class ships," Vel answered with a proud smile, her eyes glowing for an instant as she had the first time she gazed upon the gleaming hulls of those ships. "The _An Jalut_ and the _Normandy_."

"Oh! That must have been interesting," Lidanya said with a little more enthusiasm than she normally showed. "I had a short tour of it back after the first battle. An impressive bird. Not quite of class with this old lady, but then nothing is…" she continued, letting her gaze wander the familiar and yet enduringly beautiful space of the common room. "Did you partake in any of the famous exploits of the _Normandy_? This other ship I am not familiar with."

"Humans take a lot from turian ship designs. Everything is at an angular angle, lacking asari ships' sleekness and grace," Vel began with description of the ships, "_Normandy_ is like that. It took some getting used to.

"As for exploits... I missed the major Alliance ops during the early stages of the war, but by fluke chance I was on SR-1 when they went to Feros," she gave a soft snort, recalling the startling sights on the ancient Prothean planet that seemed so mild now compared to the horrors unleashed by the Reapers, "Thorian Husks? They're like Reaper Husks, only they stink more.

"_An Jalut_ mostly carries the Alliance's N7 teams between systems," she said finally, "and I was primarily attached to that ship since the Reaper invasion started."

"What is a thorian?" Lidanya asked, picking out the unfamiliar word.

Vel blinked once at the unexpected question. "Thorian? It was a..." she paused for a second, frowning as she grasped for words to offer a description, "...it was a millennia-old plant that was able to _control _asaroids by spores. The effect was surprisingly similar to Reaper indoctrination. I was sure Command received my report? It must be buried somewhere."

"I see," Lidanya said, resolving to research this _thorian_ more later. She was certain that she would have been informed by Intelligence if it was something she needed to be worried about, and could simply have continued to ignore its existence until this accursed war was over… but she had to admit curiosity about the commando's encounter with it. "I must confess I sometimes wonder if the rough, utilitarian design the humans and turians use improves functionality. Whether we compromise for aesthetics? …But of course, it could be the other way around. Did you fight alongside these human commandos?" she asked to change the topic back to something more familiar to her, poking at her food in a far more leisurely pace than her usual few minutes of efficient consumption.

"I like to think our ships are far more efficient than our counterparts, therefore saving space for aesthetic designs..." Vel said with a light smile, an exaggerated weariness mixing into her expression as she continued. "Human ships are so... rough on the eyes that I don't understand how they keep the crew's morale."

Lidanya smiled at the maiden's passion, though she had to admit that she quite preferred asari vessels herself—and salarian ones.

A soft chime from her OT stopped her mid-bite, before she could reply. "Hm… Oh!" she exclaimed, abruptly standing up. "The ceremony, I must hurry," she explained distractedly, lightly touching Velana's hand. "I apologize, I lost track of time. I must be somewhere… and I am going to be late."

"No worries, don't let me keep you from your appointment," Vel said quickly, realizing the captain must have more important things to attend to than chatting with crew, but she was smiling brightly. It was something Vel hadn't felt since she first set foot on Thessia and saw the burning landscape. She waved and asked out of a daring optimism and simple hope, "maybe I'll tell you about the human commandos tomorrow?"

"I am afraid I do not…" Lidanya started, painfully aware of how completely crammed her schedule was the following day—how crammed it _always_ was. Still, she found herself thinking as she looked back at the commando, her adjutant, Ami, _had_ been insisting that Lidanya should try to delegate more of her responsibilities. "I will make time for you tomorrow," she said even before she had quite realized she had made the decision. Flashing a quick smile to hide her surprise, she gave a small wave and strode purposefully toward the elevators.

Smiling, Vel watched Lidanya leave, her mind racing through her tasks for the rest of the day, wishing that she could skip through the mundane to the captain's enjoyable company. She glanced at the now empty seat in front of her before quickly turning to look out the window, hiding a certain glee that was bubbling up from within her.

* * *

Lidanya wandered down to the common room for breakfast, regretting the rare indulgence in equally rare wine she had allowed herself to escape the dreadful boredom of the previous night's ceremony when yet another chime interrupted her thoughts about reconfiguring the turian battle groups for more agility.

The glee she felt at the urgent message reporting likely hostile scouts at the relay was nothing short of shameful, but she could not help it. It was a good thing to get the fleet back on its toes from the complacent slump they had ended up in… and it got her out of her meetings for a while at least.

A thought struck her when she strode toward the tactical deck to observe the cruiser group she'd dispatched make its way toward the relay. Despite her confidence the previous day, she had found it all but impossible to make as much time for her new recruit as she had wanted to… a quarter hour was the best she could have done. Perhaps the foolish assailants had granted her another small blessing?

_[lta/da/csec/c] I am afraid I will be tied watching an operation most of today. I will take lunch here in one hour, however. You are likely to be busy with getting settled today, but if you have the time and should like to do so, you are most welcome to join me. — Lidanya_

She went over the message twice for corrections before she finally dispatched it to Velana.

Vel looked up from a duffle bag full of gear as her omni-tool beeped. A faint smile flashed across her lips when she saw that the message was from Lidanya. She basked in the knowledge that the captain had made time for her as promised before typing a reply.

_[v.t'ria/da/csec/c] I've already moved everything to my quarters. If you like my company, I'll be happy to join you for the viewing._

Lidanya eyed the tactical display when she stepped out of the elevator and, satisfied that the operation had begun correctly, exchanged a few words with her staff as she walked toward one of the small alcoves at the back of the war room. She had already read Velana's message, but had decided to try to read the initial encounter reports before writing a reply. A few useless attempts later, she switched back to her message program.

_[lta/da/csec/c] Please, I would like that. Your ID will unlock the tactical deck in the elevator._

* * *

Besides the lunch with the captain, there was also the naval operation being carried out by the Citadel Fleet at the same time. Spectacular as it was known to be, Vel had never had a chance to see it firsthand. Excited about both prospects, she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the captain's deck.

Lidanya slid back on the bench a little to have a better view of the entrance—and for Velana of her—when her OT alerted her of the time. She gave another dubious glance at the assortment of human dishes that she had requested the chefs to prepare. It had seemed a good idea then, given the commando's time among the species, but now…

Vel stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened, pausing briefly in the middle of the vast room to take in the impressive sight of the wall of holographic displays that the _Destiny Ascension_ provided to her captain. She crossed the floor and stopped beside Lidanya, keeping her eyes on the video feeds from the ongoing operation as she spoke quietly. "Nice view."

"Please, sit," Lidanya said, and flashed a smile before moderating her expression. "I know it is a terrible thing to say, but this can be quite impressive. They will have to switch to direct footage from the battle group soon, our imaging does not quite reach to the relay." She paused in thought. "There is nothing to worry about, by the way. It is just a small scouting party… they are already cornered," she explained, and shifted slightly to make room on her side of the small table.

Vel sat down in a seat next to Lidanya, eyes still fixated on the fleet maneuvers in awe, but she glanced at the captain in alarm as something occurred to her, "Wait, 'scouting party'? Reapers?"

"Oh, no… No Reaper signatures. We have not identified them yet, but it is undoubtedly Cerberus again. No marauders would ever come here.

"The Reapers sent one ship, early, but none since… I do not think they consider this place nearly as important as we do, now. So you are safe here. As safe as you want to be, at least. I know you were itching for some action," Lidanya said, looking over at the asari at her side.

Vel's eyes darted at Lidanya and back at the displays, feeling the captain's gaze on her. "It's not that I'm itching for action, ma'am. I should be on standby if Cerberus ships are this close but..." she put on a smile, trying to hide the fact that she _was_ actually itching for some action, but she was willing to put that aside _now_—by Lidanya's side, "seeing how the captain herself invited me to watch the operation, I think I'm not needed in the shuttle bay."

Lidanya glanced up at the enormous projections for a moment, practiced eye checking that everything about the operation was still in order in the hands of her senior staff before she turned back to the table. "Do you know what these foods are? I… took a risk and ordered some human dishes. I am not usually not this adventurous…"

Vel turned to the table when Lidanya asked the question. Taking the time to browse the dishes, she couldn't help but smile in quiet wonderment at the variety available on a warship that was stationed on the Citadel. "I know some of these, yes," she murmured, examining some of the clumps of human rice held together in rolls by green sheets of pressed fibrous plants.

"Oh, I did not try yet. See, that is why it was of the utmost importance to to station you here instead of the hangar. A powerful Vanguard such as you can keep me safe from making a grave culinary mistake," she said, smiling innocently. "This looks pretty…" she added, pointing at the neatly arranged tray of sushi. "Is it good?"

Vel laughed slightly at this sudden change of duty and smiled gently at Lidanya, her previously serious tone loosened up by the captain's melodramatic plea. "I will do my best to advise and steer you away from dubious food, ma'am," she said, walking over to the table and pointing at a few items, "these are fairly good, I like them... Mostly rice and seaweed, though some contain raw fish. Just a heads up."

"Ah, seafood…it is quite similar to ours, I understand? I am partial to it, I must admit. Hmm… how is one supposed to eat this?" Lidanya asked, hovering over the dish for a moment before simply nabbing a piece in her fingers and popping it in her mouth. "Mm, this is quite good…" she muttered, licking her fingertips clean with quick flicks of her tongue before turning her gaze back on Velana. "Now, I believe I was promised tales from your days with the humans…?" she asked, and leaned an elbow on the table with her head resting on her palm.

"Um," Vel paused abruptly as Lidanya picked up a piece of sushi, surprised eyes following the little ball of rice until it disappeared in the captain's mouth. "Or... you could use your fingers," she chuckled slightly and continued before she stared for too long, "but they're generally eaten with _chopsticks_. It's a human invention that lets you pick up food easily, but it's quite tricky to learn."

"I… oh, I see," Lidanya said, looking down at her lap and at the trays, her markings darkening slightly.

Vel looked away and lifted her hand to her mouth, hiding a quiet cough as she chastised herself for correcting the captain so bluntly. Not wanting to let the silence drag on, she decided to recount her experiences with the Alliance. "The humans are... fascinating. For a newcomer species they adapted incredibly fast. You really cannot imagine their versatility and resolve until you fight side-by-side with them."

Lidanya looked back up, very happy that the asari had so naturally ignored her fluster. She was usually so much more composed… "This seems a common theme I hear about the humans. It sounds like you had some dangerous times there? I have always been a fleet girl, myself, safe on ships. I do not think I could do what you do."

"I was a huntress on Thessia long before I signed up," Vel said, smiling slightly at the subtle difference in how they each saw combat. "I guess I'm used to charging into the thick of things."

"Ah, they have the intruder ships now," Lidanya said, nodding her head toward the display showing eight ships encircling three smallish vessels. She lifted herself off her seat for long enough to tell her operative staff to relay the order to attempt disabling and capturing the hostiles.

Vel nodded and turned her attention to the display, her mind picturing the fighting yet to come. "Only the battle in space is over... Once our people board the ships, it's another matter."

"This is true…" Lidanya mused as she reseated herself and turned back to her guest. "Perhaps I have so much faith in the assault teams that I consider the battle already over." Velana was right, though, they did still need to secure the ships.

"I was simply speaking from experience, ma'am," Vel quickly added. "Citadel Fleet has some of our finest commandos, I'm sure your faith is well-placed."

"We have never lost a ship we have boarded. Not the Citadel fleet, nor the First," Lidanya said proudly.

Vel nodded. Lidanya was not exaggerating; the Fleet's reputation was renowned in Citadel space. "As I said, your fleet is capable. I didn't mean to seem skeptical in their skill."

Lidanya flashed a small grin at her new recruit. "We could not do it without attracting the very best."

"In my case," Vel replied with a humble smile, "I came here to learn from the very best."

Lidanya frowned at the tactical display, and gave a reluctant nod to the questioning gazes in her direction to permit clearing the ships without attempting to capture prisoners. "Cerberus has stopped surrendering…" she said quietly, hanging her head with a sigh before looking back up at Velana with a small smile. "Do you have plans after… after all this?" she asked, trying to distract herself from the battle that was well in hand but no less tragic for it. "In general, I mean… are you planning on staying in this business, or do you think you will one day have had your fill of war?"

Vel could sense the change of mood in the room. She knew full well Cerberus rarely surrendered, but the knowledge didn't make the consequence any easier to face. Fighting a cornered and defiant enemy, the casualties would be unnecessarily high, and Lidanya's question sounded more like a voice of Vel's inner self as she studied the tactical display.

"I've never thought about that..." Vel answered, glad for the distraction as she hid the last traces of her worry. "Perhaps in a few hundred years I'll grow weary of war. But so far, fighting—" she laughed sheepishly, "forgive my candidness, but it makes me feel _alive_."

"I like your attitude. I… sometimes forget there are still so many things to learn, people to learn from. You should not apologize for speaking your mind. It is a dangerous way to feel alive, but I understand that yearning," Lidanya said, voice lowering to a hush as she closed her eyes and leaned back. "I am growing weary of this… the power, the responsibility. There was a day when those things were what made _me_ feel alive, but I can barely remember it now." She smiled sadly when she opened her eyes and turned her gaze back to Velana. "Sorry, the troubles of an old warrior…"

Vel grew silent as Lidanya spoke her mind. It was unexpected, but the young commando couldn't help but listen, feeling a wash of sympathy for the captain. Lidanya once too was chasing the same thrill—the rush of life itself, and Vel wondered if it could ever be found again.

"You shouldn't apologize either, ma'am," she said quietly. "I can understand the weight of responsibility wearing on you. I imagine I'd feel the same after so long. Have you thought about... handing it to someone else once all this is over?"

"I have…and will one day, of course. Still I cannot deny that it terrifies me to let go, to place that trust in someone else. I just need to… get used to the idea," Lidanya replied, smiling furtively before turning to stare at her water glass entirely too intently.

"It can be terrifying... but you can't carry this responsibility forever," Vel said after a brief moment of pause. "I'd like to think someone like you who's led the fleet for so long deserves some rest."

Lidanya cleared her throat quietly. "I…I should go explain this operation to the Council and to calm them. Walk with me to the hangar?"

"Of course, ma'am," Vel said, standing up beside Lidanya. Her smile was soft and reassuring, knowing how close the captain was to the topic they'd left. "I'm happy to accompany you."

Lidanya smiled cautiously as she stood up, willing herself to find some of her usual poise and confidence. "I would like to think that someone could unburden me, Velana… Tonight will be nothing but more burden, I am afraid, if the previous meetings with the Council are anything to go by. Still, I can enjoy these few last minutes before that," she said, lightly touching Velana's shoulder with a small smile. "And _please_… call me Lidanya."

Vel smiled brightly, feeling a warmth spreading from the light touch and the familiarity Lidanya permitted her. "I'm glad you find my company at least enjoyable, ma'am—" she said, grinning sheepishly as she caught herself, "_Lidanya_. Even for just a small bit before you take on the Council. I understand they can be taxing."

She let the captain proceed before politely following by her side. "Also, you can call me Vel."


	2. Chapter 2

Lidanya awoke with a start, the last dream fading from her consciousness but for fleeting images of alluring shapes, and her quickened pulse and a flush on her skin. She found her thoughts inescapably returning to Velana… Vel, already thinking about the next time she could see the asari, thinking up excuses to call her up …before she caught herself, overcome by rare uncertainty._ Is it presumptuous of me to think she would see me a third day straight? Why would she? I… I should not._

She breathed out heavily, and steeled herself. There was nothing wrong in sending Vel a thank-you note. She turned to her wrist to tap a quick message on her OT before discarding her tangled sheets and heading for the shower.

_[lta] Vel, I enjoyed your company very much, thank you. You made the rest of the evening bearable. —Lidanya_

Vel glanced aside from a half-disassembled Disciple as her omni-tool beeped. The morning had been quiet, and there was nothing to keep her company but the constant droning of ventilation fans and the deep, low rumbling of the _Ascension_'s drive core that permeated throughout the ship. At least the boarding operation from the day before kept the armory busy with an influx of captured Cerberus weapons.

After departing from the lunch with the captain, Vel had spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know the squad leaders and where she might help, always keeping an eye on her omni-tool, expecting... _something_. It was bold of her to expect Lidanya would contact her again, but perhaps their enjoyable time together had made her hope...

And now the omni-tool blinked with an incoming text from the matriarch. Vel tried to contain her grin as she set down the weapon and tapped the highlighted icon to open the message body. Glancing around at the other asari milling about the armory, she turned towards an isolated corner and typed a reply.

_[v.t'ria] I'm happy to hear that. I enjoyed our conversation. I hope the Council meeting didn't feel too tedious afterwards_

Lidanya padded back to her living space, toweling herself off. A shiver took her by surprise, running up her spine at the sight of the tremendously mundane and usually burdensome message light flicking on her terminal. She quickly read her dozen or so messages, discarding all but one… the one that she reread time and again as she hesitated before replying, trying to choose her words very carefully.

_[lta] No, I had something to occupy my mind during their endless debates. How is your day shaping up? Has your squad found a good use for you yet, or have you found an undertaking yourself?_

Vel paused and allowed her mind to wander—only briefly—at Lidanya's reply.

_Something__._

Pushing aside presumptuous thoughts, her fingers found the holographic keys again, but her lips were still curled in a small smile.

_[v.t'ria] I suppose one can't help but mentally escape during those Council debates... And no, I haven't been sent anywhere specific, though I've taken up weapon maintenance... something I was doing too while aboard Normandy._

_[lta] I nearly asked if you knew your way around weapons… but of course you do. I do not think I have touched one in a decade, myself. I am certain they will find something for you. If nothing else, my staff keeps telling me I should have a bodyguard._

_[v.t'ria] Really? I'd think the _Ascension_ is safe enough for her captain to walk around, but I can understand the paranoia of some people... Did they tell you to refresh your weapon training too?_

_[lta] The _Ascension_ is. It is when I visit other ships, and especially the Citadel after this last incident. And I still remember which way to hold a gun. I have never used a thermal clip one, though. This must sound silly to you._

The little confession in the end did bring a smile to Vel's face. It was to be expected, perhaps. Thermal clips only became widespread after the Battle of the Citadel, and being a captain at that time, Lidanya wouldn't have had a reason so pick it up...

Suddenly Vel had a tangential realization, _Lidanya was commanding the Citadel Fleet during Sovereign's attack..._. Silently awed and making a mental note to ask the captain later about this pivotal battle, she sent back a reply.

_[v.t'ria] Not as silly as you'd think, thermal clips only happened a few years ago anyway. I'd recommend switching over though, it's important to know self-defense even if you have a bodyguard..._

_[lta] I am sure you are correct. I just have never felt the need, nor had a reason to learn. You would not happen to know anyone who could perhaps show me these new technologies, perhaps help practice a little…?_

Lidanya grimaced inwardly at her poor attempt at playfulness and the rather inartful plea, but sent the message anyway. She fastened her uniform, anxiously waiting for the commando's reply before getting up from the corner of the bed she had sat on.

Vel read Lidanya's message a few times, considering whether or not to volunteer. Was the captain genuinely inquiring about a shooting instructor, or was it an attempt... And how should she word her reply so she wouldn't come off as desperate? After a brief internal debate, Vel decided to keep the message inviting, short and to the point.

_[v.t'ria] If you like, I'd be honored to walk you through these new weapons... I'll be at the range for the next little while._

_[lta] I would like that. I will try to make some time._

Lidanya flashed a private, relieved smile before striding out the door, Ami quietly falling in step with her as she headed for the scheduled maneuvers by the on-duty fighter wings.

* * *

Lidanya tried to hide the insecurity she felt under her normal confidence as she strode toward Vel two hours later. She spotted the asari from a distance away, the teal and magenta drawing her eye like a magnet. If there were others at the range, she did not notice. She paused for a breath before moving again, unable to ignore her excitement and the warm flutter she felt deep within._ Goddess, I am acting like a maiden._

Vel glanced up to see Lidanya approach. The captain was her usual confident self as she took measured and controlled strides towards the table at the firing position. Vel quickly looked down to the Disciple that she was setting up when Lidanya was close enough and looked back up again, putting on a warm smile.

"Hi! You made it."

Lidanya smiled in return when she came to a halt next to Vel, eyes meeting the asari's for a moment before she turned her gaze at the weapon. "I would not miss this for anything. I hope I did not make you wait?" she asked, smiling uncertainly. Surreptitiously, she checked on her OT that Ami was doing alright with the task she had delegated, still terrified of letting go of even that small bit of control.

"Not at all, I planned to stay here for the day anyway," Vel said and set down the weapon, smiling to try to ease any worry she sensed in Lidanya. Though from the glances that the captain were giving to her omnitool, perhaps it wasn't something easily let go. "Thermal clips are really easy to figure out. What would you like to try first?"

"I…" Lidanya started. She looked around at all the weaponry laid out, thinking a pistol would probably be wise but eventually turning to Vel—both for her expertise, and to test her reaction and demeanor. "…Why don't you tell me?"

Vel quirked her brows slightly at the unexpected question, though her surprise was quickly replaced by an analytical eye as she appraised Lidanya's small frame. "Maybe you can start with a pistol? I think that's fitting for an officer, and it's a good starting point to understanding thermal clips."

Lidanya stared at Vel intently before her expression softened back into a smile. She nodded. "I trust you on this. Do you have a… a favorite one?"

Vel looked back up, pausing briefly under the captain's intent stare, her mind racing behind her calm exterior at different possibilities, but she settled down again when Lidanya smiled. "Yes, the Predator. It's a fast weapon."

"I have seen a _few_ of these, of course… and that one _looks_ quite nice," Lidanya said, her finger stopping to point at the distinctly non-asari-looking, reasonably compact but robust Predator after gesturing at the wide array of pistols on display, "but you can tell me which one actually _is_ good."

Vel watched as Lidanya browsed through the weapons like merchandise on display, and she quickly suppressed a chuckle when the captain inquired about her opinion. "The compactness is the Predator's strong point, actually..." she said, picking up the turian-originated pistol and a few thermal clips. "It's able to empty out a clip fairly rapidly without too much kick. I prefer it over ones that focus too much on one end of the spectrum..."

Lidanya raised an amused brow, mouth quirking slightly. "Ah, it is both beautiful _and_ lethal, then? I like that… Show me."

"You can decide whether you do after the demonstration..." Vel flashed a smirk while she loaded her Predator and turned towards the target. The commando took aim after the briefest pause, and blue flares of muzzle flash soon spewed from the weapon rapidly, lighting everything in sharp contrast as Vel emptied the clip downrange. As the last shot drew into a ringing echo she picked up and pushed a fresh clip into the pistol without taking her eyes off the target and emptied it again before the first clip hit the floor.

Lidanya bit into her bottom lip unconsciously, guiltily thrilled by the demonstration of graceful efficiency. She dearly hoped it was at least in small part for her benefit. She had seen good warriors before. This one… this one was_ good_. She waited for the noise to die down. "That was… amazing," she said in a low voice as she stood quietly admiring Vel, a little taken aback by the surge of primitive attraction that the display had caused in her.

Vel ejected the empty clip, deactivated the Predator and put it back on the table gingerly. "Just to show you what this pistol can do," she replied, feeling the heat from Lidanya's admiring gaze, and the maiden may have lingered on the unspoken draw in the captain's eyes for too long before wearing a humble smile.

Lidanya tried for a small smile. "I am quite certain that the pistol cannot do that if_ I _am the one using it, Vel… How do you keep it so steady? The still recoil seems very strong." She looked down at the weapon and leaned in to to brush her fingers lightly over the metal.

"You just need practice..." Vel smiled and said, lifting her hand and let a wispy blue flare drift off. "And biotics. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it can counteract the recoil... Would you like to try?"

Lidanya smiled at Vel, and fell silent for a moment trying to decide if she should show off her biotics. She might even have come close to Vel's power… but she did not truly want to try. She enjoyed being the weaker one, she realized with a slight thrill. She cleared her throat and spoke, a bit embarrassed at her hoarseness. "Yes, please."

"Right." Vel smiled, glad for Lidanya's eagerness to learn, even though she was sure that the matriarch was skilled in biotics. She picked up the pistol and handed it to the asari grip-first, indicating a slot with her other hand. "First... load the clip."

Lidanya took the weapon by the still-warm handle, and turned it around in her hand to get a feel for the weight of it. She watched Vel's instruction and slid the clip in before turning her eyes back to Vel's. "It feels a little heavier than I remember. It is not too bad, though. And it ejects here?" she asked, pointing, and hefted the weapon once more.

Vel leaned over slightly, only inches away from Lidanya, though her attention was entirely directed towards pointing out various parts on the pistol. "...Yes, and here's the switch for cycling through different ammo types..." the commando explained, occasionally catching glimpses from Lidanya. She smiled softly, making sure the captain was following before continuing, "...and here's the ammo count if you need to find out."

Lidanya ran her fingers along the touch interface for the ammunition, lightly pressing one after another to see how long it took to switch the mode. She smiled to herself, as much for the capable weapon as the flutter that the stirring of air from Vel moving so close caused in her chest. "Is it hot? The clip, I mean… I assume so. Must one take precautions when ejecting it?" she asked while raising the weapon to aim her finger still off the trigger, and then lowered it, poorly mimicking Vel's graceful reloading to try to visualize the ejection. "What if I have, say, you right there next to me, as we are now… must I move away? Turn away?"

"Yes, it's hot. The clip, I mean. In real combat hopefully..." Vel answered, looking up, her voice trailing off into a strangled whisper as she realized how close she had moved to Lidanya. "...Hopefully we'll never be this close," she cleared her throat quietly, slowly shifting back from the captain as to not appear too abrupt. "Because that means we're hopelessly cornered. But yes... if we _were_, I'd turn away from the clip."

Lidanya lowered the weapon again, tapping muzzle the against her thigh almost unconsciously. She looked up at Vel with a sad smile. "Hopelessly cornered, you say? If I need to use this at all, things have gone very badly already… I do not think it at all unlikely that I would end up cornered then. And if I do, I certainly hope I have someone like you with me."

"Thank you for your confidence..." Vel replied. Never had she talked about being cornered this lightheartedly, but the thought of huddling behind cover with the captain as they fought off enemies did put a coy grin on her face... It was silly, but the words _were_ flattering. "I do _hope_ we never have to encounter that situation..."

Lidanya's smile broadened as she sought out Vel's eyes and straightened up, the weapon still at her side. "So, I must be careful not to set things on fire… Reasonable enough. Now, let me try this thing… you did something with your elbow and shoulder. Like this?" she asked, raising the weapon to aim properly this time, her offhand steadying the other at the wrist, her elbow and shoulder at a shallow angle.

Vel stood back slightly, speaking distractedly as she inspected Lidanya's stance, "You don't have to worry about setting things on fire, there's another weapon for that purpose..." The posture could use adjustment, and she took a half step towards Lidanya's side, leading into the question as she looked up inquiringly and ventured, "may I?"

Lidanya held the warrior's gaze for a moment before giving her a small nod. She tried to relax her posture, steadfastly ignoring the creeping tension in her shoulders and lower back, and breathed deliberately and deeply. "Please."

Vel looked at Lidanya for a second, trying to ignore the deep inhalations taken by the captain to relax. "Right, first..." she moved closer, lifting her hands to Lidanya's off-hand without hesitation—dwelling on it would only worsen the small flush swelling up in her—and nudged it to rest under the pistol grip with gentle pushes of her fingers. "Keep your arms straight, and..." Her hands traced along under Lidanya's arms as she explained, before patting her lower back lightly, "keep your upper body leaning back slightly."

Lidanya breathed in sharply at the touch on her back, and then deeply to hide the reaction before she tried concentrating on finding her relaxed posture again. One by one she reasserted control over the muscles that the casual touch had made shiver. She fervently hoped that her tense sensitivity wouldn't turn into ticklishness as she tilted backwards while trying to keep her new, more stable form, eyes returning on Vel's for the asari's approval. "Better?"

Vel felt her cheeks darken as Lidanya inhaled sharply upon her touch, her mind racing to push out thoughts of the effect she was having on the asari, reeling back to focus on making sure the captain's firing stance was correct. "Better..." she murmured, patting Lidanya's shoulders again, signaling the captain to relax her muscles, and with her fingertip lightly lifted the asari's chin to align with the pistol's sight. "Now you're ready."

Lidanya breathed out, finding herself gradually relaxing under Vel's expert hands, trusting her guidance. Struggling against the urge to nod at Vel—and at the same time feeling profoundly uncomfortable with her neck so exposed—she settled for looking once more in her mentor's eyes for approval, and then turned her gaze to the targets downrange. "I will try without biotics first, see how the recoil works…" Her words were more a mutter to herself as she slid her finger over the safety and then onto the trigger. She took one more deep breath in, and with a smooth squeeze fired the weapon, caring less for hitting the target than Vel's verdict.

The commando's eyes were fixed on Lidanya as soon as the pistol's safety clicked to _Armed_, following the captain carefully as the trigger was squeezed. She only peripherally noticed the shot being fired, focusing more instead on Lidanya's posture. The asari's nervousness seemed to have subsided after the last look in her eyes, and the combat experience of the matriarch showed in her smooth firing motion. "Very good..." Vel said over Lidanya's shoulder, smiling. "With practice, you'll get used to the weapon."

Lidanya smiled cautiously—first to herself, and then turning her head slightly so that Vel could see her expression. She nodded, enjoying the asari's soft breath on her skin.

Without another word she closed her eyes reliving the motion of her body during the shot and, pushing her chest slightly forward and rolling her shoulders, summoned her barrier. The blue-purple energy flared between her shoulder blades and flowed up to her neck in two columns, cascading over her shoulders and winding around her arms. She turned her eyes back on the target, brow furrowing as she concentrated on feeling her field, on how it would live around her body when she fired.

Once more she slid the safety off, and with a calm breath squeezed the trigger again and again until the clip was spent. She lowered the weapon to her side silently and let her field subside before looking back at Vel from the corner of her eye, quite displeased at her own lack of finesse and anxious about the disapproval of her rashness that she was sure Vel felt. "I… I'm sorry. I should've asked if you were ready…"

Vel stood back as blue-purple energy spurred from Lidanya, taking in the sight as the biotic glow hugged and flowed fluidly along the asari's taut shooting stance. The captain's aura was refined and controlled; a marked difference from the brute force of a Vanguard. Ripples ran smoothly along Lidanya's arms as the pistol's recoil was absorbed after each shot, and Vel could only admire the grace and ease with which Lidanya commanded and manipulated mass around her.

"Beautifully done..." she praised as the last echo died down and continued with a teasing smile, "were you a commando before becoming a captain?"

Lidanya frowned, not quite sure what to make of Vel's smile. She let her head hang as she looked down at the weapon to make sure she was touching the correct spot to turn the safety back on. "No, I'm just old," she said, frown deepening. She glanced over at the results table from the target only to find it barely satisfactory. "This is why they gave me the _Ascension_ to shoot with."

Vel didn't expect Lidanya's anxiety, and the frown looked so out-of-place after the commendable biotic performance. She ventured, squeezing the captain's shoulder lightly and encouragingly. "But your command of biotics is excellent... if I may be so presumptuous as to compliment. And your accuracy will improve over time," she said, turning to glance at the results and grinned. "Better than a lot of crew members on human ships."

Lidanya found herself unexpectedly smiling, Vel's words and touch dissolving her disappointment over her performance. She looked up at the target once more before turning back to look at Vel over her shoulder. "Thank you. I do need to practice… with both the weapon and my biotics."

Recalling the earlier advice, she turned around to face Vel… but didn't move away as she did, standing instead just as close as they had been, barely a handspan away when she looked intently into the asari's eyes. At her side, she raised her armed hand just high enough to safely eject the clip into the unoccupied space with a light touch. "Do you keep in touch with the humans? Made friends among them?"

Vel withdrew her hand as Lidanya turned around. She should have been moving back from their close proximity, but Lidanya's eyes seemed to be telling her otherwise. So she stood where she was, watching the captain barely a foot before her, whose smile and light conversational tone let Vel see the asari in an entirely different light. "I've made friends—humans or non—and some I'd trust with my life. Though with the war... it's hard to have a get-together."

Lidanya held her gaze quietly for a few seconds before turning to face downrange again. She lifted the pistol up to her waist to somewhat ungracefully insert the replacement clip into the weapon, and then raised it to aim. She shrugged her biotic tendrils back to life, but on second thought let the field die away, thinking that Vel might be able to judge her posture better without the biotic assistance. She turned her head toward the asari, brow raised questioningly. "Hard? It is. You might not know if they are alive, let alone nearby… but you should try to meet. How is this?" she asked, making minor corrections in her stance.

"No biotics? You can try, though the recoil may be hard to control at this stage," Vel said, raising her brows as Lidanya roughly reloaded the weapon, but the procedure was still acceptable. She took a step back, taking in consideration of the stronger kick, and continued as she waited for the captain to fire, "I do try to meet. Now that I'm so close to the Citadel... I should be able to catch whoever is here for some R&R."

Lidanya took Vel's movement to mean that her posture wasn't too badly off and, adhering to the advice, shrugged again as the physical mnemonic to bring forth her field. Recalling the last attempt, she moderated its power slightly, concentrating the field more where it was needed, and creating a little buffer field to help her realign the weapon again after. Tilting her chin up like Vel had shown her, a little higher than she was naturally comfortable with, she took careful aim and fired into the target until the warning for the thermal capacity came up on the small display of the weapon.

She scanned her handiwork, satisfied that the more focused biotics seemed to have kept her results at about the same level while tiring her much less. She turned toward the weapons table, looking sidelong at Vel when she put the Predator down. "You should. Most superiors will understand, and make time for you if possible._ Have _you given any further consideration for what you would like your role to be?"

Lidanya's fluid control of her aura kept Vel's attention like a mesmerizing dance of ribbons. The wispy flow of the mass-warping field was reserved, yet undeniably beautiful as they ebbed and flowed along Lidanya's delicate frame, and the muted arcs of energy bleeding between blue tendrils did little to conceal the power being wielded by the matriarch.

"I have," she said, looking back to the target, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "I may be out of line, but if you need a bodyguard..."

Lidanya turned her eyes back to the desk while she slowly and deliberately placed the pistol in its slot. She stayed silent, hoping that Vel would take it as thoughtfulness or gravitas rather than the effort to hide her warm flush of joy that it was. She turned around to half-lean, half-sit on the edge of the table, and crossed her arms lightly as she looked sternly back up at Vel. "I would not have mentioned it had I not wanted to. So no, you are not out of line." Noting that she may have overdone the somberness, she offered a small smile. "There are a few things that we must address if you do wish to do this, however."

Vel unconsciously snapped to attention when the captain looked at her sternly, recognizing the mask of command, though the smile helped relax her a little. Her lips curled up into a polite smile while her mind switched to briefing mode. "What might those things be?" she asked in a somber tone.

"First…" Lidanya started, raising her arm to point and drawing a lazy circle around Vel with her index finger, her smile turning into a playful grin. "_This _has to go. I understand it will take you a little while to get back to the way we do things, but even beyond that… You cannot hesitate because of rank when you must act. When it comes to my person, _you_ will be the boss. Can you do that?"

Vel's eyes followed the circle in the air and back at Lidanya, wondering what "this" meant. Only a second later it sunk in, and she blushed in embarrassment, trying to stand at ease in a not-so-obvious way. "Um, I understand. And yes, I'm aware of the responsibilities of a bodyguard. I can do that."

Lidanya looked at the commando with a quiet smile before cocking her head to the side. "Good. The second thing… well, we have already done some background work on you, but my security chief will want to do a little bit more, so you will need to speak with her. That I do not assume to be a problem. The third thing…" she started, looking down as her expression regained its seriousness. "Someone will need to verify your trustworthiness in a limited melding." She paused briefly before looking back up to gauge Vel's reaction. "One of my officers can or, if you prefer, I will."

All the requirements so far were standard procedures, and Vel nodded intermittently to indicate that she was okay with the various checks. The melding, however... it was always more comfortable to share thoughts with a familiar asari, and—as she silently admitted with an inward smile—Lidanya was the most familiar to Vel on this ship.

"I'll need you to trust me completely, and vice versa," she inhaled and said finally, meeting the captain's gaze. "It's important to see for yourself."

Lidanya pushed herself off the table, her smile freer now with the intense relief. "Thank you…I am glad you feel that way. Now…" she said, moving a step closer to take Vel lightly by the shoulder before continuing, "I clearly need much more practice, but that can wait."

She reluctantly let go of Vel's shoulder and brought her OT up to check her schedule. "I only have a few minutes to eat before I need to leave for the Citadel. Will you join me? Or are you not done with your guns yet?"

Vel returned the smile, her face brightening from the captain's relaxed demeanor, though a faint fluttering replaced the weight of her previous uncertainty when imagined images of their melding bubbled in her mind, until the light touch on her shoulder pulled her back to the present.

"Of course. Anytime you wish to practice, it will be my pleasure to accompany you," Vel replied quickly, and the reluctant withdrawal of Lidanya's hand only very briefly tarnished her excitement for the captain's invitation. "I've already finished what I planned for today," the commando answered, grinning. "So I can definitely use some food."

Lidanya nodded approvingly to herself when Vel turned to tidy up, chattering at the asari's back. "I would like to say that we should do it at _your_ convenience, given that the experience may be more stressful for you… but with my schedule, I am afraid you are in the right. I will make time as soon as I can."

She smiled again when Vel turned back around, nodding her head in the direction of the door before heading that way herself, her feet still feeling particularly—but not inexplicably—light. "Your preference today… what do you wish to eat? You will need the calories."

"I don't think the training was _that _exhausting..." Vel said with a light laugh, glancing at Lidanya as she caught up and walked beside the captain. "But I do have an idea on what to eat... Are you a fan of asari Palaven cuisine?"

Lidanya cocked a brow as she looked over at Vel, gesturing for her to step into the elevator. "Why yes, I do quite enjoy most of it. You _have _been around, haven't you…?" she mused with approving smile and selected the common deck as their destination. "I have not read your file in detail yet… Ami did, but I opted to come here and speak with you in person rather than listen to her summary. Where are you from?"

Vel followed Lidanya into the elevator and stood beside the asari, her eyes brightening as she retraced memories of her origin.

"I was born on Thessia," she replied, though the implicit meaning in Lidanya's question did not escape her. "But I spent my childhood on Palaven. Mother liked the idea of immersing me in the two cultures."

"It sounds like a good experience. Too few of us do that. Despite all the talk about enriching our heritage, we still raise our children into the asari ways," Lidanya said quietly, smiling with her own sorrowful memory even as the elevator came to a stop. "I myself spent a few years—too few—on Palaven. The father of my elder daughter was a turian… but I never understood it then. I never tried to fit in… it did not work out in the end, not least because of that."

She shook her head, bemused. "Listen to me lamenting, and old matriarch… I am glad your mother was wiser than I. Had you been back to the homeworld? Before… before this war, I mean. I grew up in Astra, myself… I have not had the heart to see how my home has fared."

Vel smiled softly, reminiscence suddenly filling her expression, though a tiny quirk in the corner of her lips and a barely noticeable wavering of her usually piercing eyes hinted suppressed sorrow from a fresh heartache.

"She is. _Was_. She was also very accommodating... since Father wasn't going to be around forever. After Father died we moved back to Thessia, until I left and started living on warships," Vel recalled wistfully, the last trace of smile fading from her expression, her gaze lowering. She continued with a small inhalation, as if pained by even the recollection of the hellish devastation she had witnessed, "I was back on Thessia after the invasion. It... It wasn't good."

Hesitating a moment, Lidanya squeezed Vel's shoulder comfortingly, a pang of concern flaring over the maiden's clear distress. "Any time you wish to talk… well, any time I am supposed to be sleeping, probably, with my schedule the way it is, you are welcome to."

Vel flinched slightly at Lidanya's gentle squeeze, mind snapping back from memory. It wasn't an act to avoid the captain's contact, but she was unconsciously keeping a safe distance, afraid that she would lapse into another recollection of Reaper-controlled Thessia, and that the nightmarish images would surface, becoming plain for anyone to sense through touch.

Lidanya stepped out of the elevator, a little taken aback by Vel's shirk but gently urging the commando along, trying to think of a less sensitive topic for the moment. "I do not expect you have gotten used to the sleeping schedule yet?" she asked uncomfortably. " I am not certain what you are accustomed to, but the _Ascension_ runs six on, six off… of course, recently, it has been more ten–twelve hours on, four hours off for me, but that is creating its own problems…"

"I... I have," Vel replied. Glad for the change of subject, she quickly recomposed herself and chuckled; albeit just slightly forced, her eyes hoping to convey gratitude for Lidanya's kindness with searching gaze, despite the rudeness she must have displayed in her moment of memory relapse. "I was briefed on the _Ascension_'s hours on the way here, so I had a bit of time to adjust...

Lidanya clasped her offending hand with the other as they walked, wondering whether she should apologize to Vel… though she found herself unwilling to do so for fear of invoking further bad memories and only making the situation worse,

"...And human ships actually maintain a similar schedule. But," Vel continued, looking at Lidanya with a slight tinge of concern. She hadn't known the captain for long, but it was long enough for her to notice little signs of the weight of responsibility that constantly pressed down on Lidanya's shoulders. "You should really delegate some of your tasks to your officers, and perhaps try the sleeping schedule...

"It's for the good of the fleet," she added lightly, looking over at Lidanya's side profile with a teasing smile. Her own daring remark surprised her, but Lidanya's openness made her feel... _familiar_—not to mention the slight thrilling amusement from chastising the captain. "We need you well-rested and clear-minded to lead us to battle."

"When I am _supposed _to sleep, I said," Lidanya clarified, smiling slightly to balance the seriousness of her tone. "I do not sleep much of my off-time, nowadays; adding hours would do little. And Ami does not let me access my files during that time, either, bless her… So spending that time with you instead of staring at the ceiling sounds just fine to me.

"Not that the only reason I want to talk to you is desperate boredom, far from it," she added before she could stop herself, and let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle.

"I didn't think it was…" Vel said quietly and looked away as to not fluster Lidanya any further, but not before stealing one more glance at the captain's eyes, her smile broadening slightly at the candid confession.

Lidanya walked quietly for a moment, slightly abashed and studiously looking anywhere but Vel. "You will like Ami, I think. At least your interests align as far as complaining about my inability to give up control goes," she finally said, allowing a hint of kind disapproval in her voice though she knew both younger asari to be absolutely right.

Stopping to look for a table, Lidanya allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction before turning back to Vel. She didn't need someone who folded under the resistance she knew she'd put up against any attempts to wrest the strings from her hands, and so far the asari was holding her own quite well. Still…

"Perhaps I will..." Vel agreed, joining the game of looking away from each other—in which she cheated a number of times, quietly adoring the faintest sign of fluster on Lidanya.

"Although... I don't sleep much any more either," she said after a moment, remembering the nights when the nightmares were really bad, before quickly sealing away those thoughts, adding with a smile. "So if you need someone to keep you company during your insomniac hours... drop me a line."

"_Drop you a line?_" Lidanya asked, brows raised in mock indignation, hoping levity would let the maiden forget the worries she seemed to have dredged up. "Perhaps I shall relocate your bunk to my foyer, and throw things at you when I have need of you. You are to guard me, after all."

The image of being pestered by the captain with a rain of thrown objects brought another soft laugh, and Vel wondered how closely this would resemble reality if she _was_ relocated to Lidanya's foyer.

"Of course, ma'am," she said, gliding towards the table, her lips curled in a suppressed smile behind the mock serious tone. "If I am to guard you, I will need to guard you from exhaustion too. And that means: bed time means bed time."

"—Besides, I am needed," Lidanya retorted, sidestepping the demand so as to not reveal the… feeling of approval that Vel's assertiveness caused. "The Council barely listens to _me_, let alone my staff. The Fora… well, there are a few of us with voice there, but even then it requires the efforts of every one of us. I can hardly forgo that, either."

"I can only imagine the obstacles you face," Vel said, sliding into a seat while listening attentively as Lidanya explained the situation on the Council. Like most in the galaxy, the maiden was cross with the stagnant bureaucracy. And being a commando, she was even less impressed by blatant dismissals coming from the Presidium Tower that left homeworlds defenseless when the Reapers struck. "And they are only making the situation worse by being so difficult."

Lidanya carefully folded herself on the seat opposite Vel, brow furrowed in thought. "No… difficult is not quite it. It is as though they do not remember there is a galaxy outside the soft breezes of the Presidium lakeshore sometimes.

"But those things are mine to worry about," she added, steepling her fingers and briefly touching her lips to the tips as her mind wandered to the meeting ahead… As indolent as she felt thinking about all the work she could have—should have—been doing instead of sitting here, it did bring to the fore exactly how little she had been thinking of anything other than work in the last weeks. Months.

With an imperceptible shake of her head and a frown flashing over her features, she reached over to the menu interface in the center of the table to look for something appetizing. Actually eating food instead of just nutrient bars and energy drinks had been scarce of late, too.

"That's a very accurate description of them…" Vel replied, idly flipping through the holographic menu. "You can see it everywhere on the Citadel, people blind to the fact that there's a galactic war going on elsewhere. It's a shock to adjust to every time I return here.

"And you're right. I have no business prying into Citadel politics," she added, knowing Lidanya was dropping the subject. "But if it helps any to talk about it, I don't mind hearing what's on your mind."

She quickly looked back down at the menu, realizing Lidanya was doing the same thing and not wanting to make her wait. In all this time aboard _Destiny Ascension,_ she hadn't sat down at a table here for a meal, mostly because she didn't know anyone, and the state of weapon maintenance was wanting when she took over the job. But she was glad for the chance to do so now with the captain.

Lidanya paused at the words, instantly turning to Vel. "Do_ not _presume to know what you should and should not ask. Ask, pry, and I will answer if I can," she said sharply—allowing the corner of her mouth to curl up in a small smile to soften her statement when she realized her tone may have been too harsh.

Vel looked up, slightly caught off-guard by Lidanya's sharp tone, but she nodded seriously. If there ever was a time when she disliked her hardwired sense of rank and command, either from her time in the Alliance or her turian upbringing, it would be now.

"I do not expect to be assassinated by the Council, but you_ will _need to be up to date with the politics at a general level, and the goings-on of the fleet and the Citadel itself," Lidanya continued in a softer tone, food forgotten for the moment. "You could do with a crash course, but I expect you will pick up enough during the course of a normal day." She leaned back on her seat. "You also need to work with C-Sec and whatever other security organizations we encounter. They always have a liaison, but it will be better if you know someone personally."

Vel scolded herself mentally, fighting a purple flush that was creeping up her cheeks, and quickly answered, "I do know someone. I've been assigned guard duty inside the Council Chambers before, so I've had numerous contacts with C-Sec.

"The rest… I'm sure I will pick up just by being around."

"I am certain you will," Lidanya agreed. Vel was certainly smart, and remarkably dauntless; the last five candidates her security chief had sent her before giving up had lasted about half as long. In fact… "You would probably start questioning me on your own, given time, but… well, this is who I am. I will control everything unless someone takes the control away from me, and you are likely to be the primary target, being closest," she continued, pausing for a moment to look Vel in the eye. She knew herself well enough after centuries of introspection not to bother with self-deception. "When I am micromanaging you—as I am right now—you are more than welcome to call me out on it, or simply ignore me."

Vel nodded again, this time more firmly and decisively. "Understood. I'm not without my own thought, and I'm certain that I will question you at some point," she said, wearing a lopsided smile. "This... isn't quite 'micromanagement' yet. You should see some of the officers I had. I might well have been a synthetic.

"That said... I will not dismiss your centuries of wisdom for guidance. In most situations. But in cases of security and your safety, I will need your cooperation."

Lidanya nodded approvingly in response, and then let out a small chuckle and shook her head bemusedly. "We came to eat, not to discuss the numerous flaws of mine. I believe I shall be boring and get the vegan selection… that is the one thing I did like about Palaven back then."

Vel gave a bright smile after the serious business had finished and looked back to the menu, bringing up a hologram of a delicious-looking roasted fish filet in the center of the table. "I think I will have this... the fish is from one of the asari garden worlds, but the cooking method and flavoring are done to mimic what the dextro version would taste like to turians."

"Now I really do feel boring," Lidanya said with mock seriousness as she tapped her order in. "At least compared to whichever turian did the levo taste testing for that dish. Or asari the opposite, I suppose," she added after a moment's thought.

"So, you have been around the humans, and the Citadel," Lidanya continued after settling back in her chair, one leg lightly crossed over the other and hands in her lap. "Thessia and Palaven… what about the salarians? Or Terminus interests?"

"I do have a Terminus connection," Vel tapped the table lightly with her finger after going through her mental contact list. To be honest, She didn't venture outside of Citadel space much except on remote missions. "A turian mercenary pilot. We worked together a few times when the commandos needed some outside help. Last time we spoke, her quarian friend was still on Omega. Maybe I can get her to poke around for some intel.

"Salarians though, sometimes they're even more enigmatic than the quarians, despite being on the Council. But if I had to guess…" she lowered her voice conspiratorially low, "I think they are pooling their forces in case the Reapers attack Sur'Kesh. Of course the Councilor would never admit to this…" she added, speaking more normally. "That's it. I was mostly sent to the Terminus for covert ops... Unfortunately the ops were never long enough for me to mingle with the locals."

"Any Terminus connections you have will become useful if the rumors are to be believed. Pity about the salarians… they are sneaky bastards," Lidanya mused, voice slightly lowered but conversational again. She nodded approvingly at Vel's confidence, slowly easing herself back into a more comfortable sit. "I do not want you to worry about intel," she said after a moment's silence, still considering the maiden's words. "That is for someone else to handle, though you are certainly encouraged to pass on any good leads. I need you to—" she started, but managed to keep herself from finishing the directive with visible effort. Vel could handle herself.

"I am sure you know best how to manage your contacts for this role," she continued after a welcome pause to receive the food, speaking very deliberately as she watched Vel from under her brow.

Vel blinked and watched as Lidanya's attention turned to the food being served, seemingly ending her sentence unfinished. "Yes, I can certainly pass along anything useful to fleet intel..." she murmured a reply, catching a glimpse of the captain's eyes after the interruption had gone away, but the other asari had moved on from the topic.

_Was that also Lidanya's attempt at micromanagement? _Vel wasn't sure. Though she _was_ sure she'd grow to appreciate the freedom Lidanya was allowing in this matter.

Lidanya was silent for a few seconds, then, only to again find her eyes resting on Vel. She shifted uneasily in her seat, and ran a finger along the ridge of one of her fringes, a nervous habit. With some effort, she focused her attention back to the conversation. "How much training have you had with your biotics? You obviously have potential and… let us call it working knowledge."

A gleam of pride flashed in her eyes as Lidanya asked about her training, and she sat up primly with a confident smile, happy to impart the Vanguards' unique branch of biotic training. "Quite a lot. Vanguards tend to differ from other biotic specializations. We become one with our biotic force when we charge, so biotics is more than something that we wield… it's part of us..."

Glad for the easier topic—for herself, at least—Lidanya leaned in slightly, curious as she was about the differences in biotic training. If there was one thing that she _had_ delegated to any degree, it was the details of non-fleet operations… and despite the near-mandatory stint as a huntress she herself had endured, this was an entirely foreign world to her. "I have heard that said about Vanguards before, and I admit that it always conjured a… simplistic image of your breed for me," she admitted. Vel, at least, seemed much more multifaceted than the composite brute she had constructed for her mental model. It seemed a much more interesting concept now. Exciting, even. "I would like to see it at some point. For me, biotics is something else entirely… Apart. Like an animal, a pet."

"That's the image most people associate us with," Vel continued with a smile, amused by the common perception of Vanguards. "And you're not completely off the mark... A lot of Vanguards are extremely violent and ill-tempered on and off the battlefield. But some―mostly asari―try to refine the speed and strength of a biotic charge, increasing its lethality and efficiency with grace of movement and fluid transition between biotic states.

"And I can definitely demonstrate if you so wish..." she said, grinning.

Lidanya let out a small cough before she could stop herself, elaborating it slightly as though a bit of her food had gone down the wrong way. She sipped her water, and set the delicate vessel back on the table gingerly before speaking again. "I mi— I _will_ take you up on that offer, Vel," she said, trying to visualize the scene in a non-suggestive manner, and ending up with an image of being piggybacked by Vel.

Vel politely suppressed a soft chuckle as she watched Lidanya's reaction, even though it was after having a momentary worry that the captain was really having difficulties._ It was safe to assume that Lidanya liked the idea,_ she thought. Lidanya's barely concealed excitement was strangely endearing, and Vel was happy to sate the curiosity of someone who would appreciate it.

Straining against a grin of her own, Lidanya turned her eyes back on Vel's. The next condition required a little more seriousness… she clasped her hands together under the table almost painfully as she sought words. "Have you melded with anyone in a… non-romantic context before?" she finally asked, examining Vel's expression carefully.

Vel calmed slightly as the other asari's tone turned serious again, and she could feel the matriarch's examining gaze on her face. "Of course... for sharing vital or hard-to-describe memories," she replied, keeping her expression as nonchalant as she could. Though her eyes were studying Lidanya with equal carefulness.

Lidanya held the gaze for another moment before looking down at her plate for her next bite. "Good," she said curtly as she speared a troublesome berry. "Some are… awkward about it, and avoid it at all costs after childhood. Like me," she added with an unconscious frown. "I will make time for you tonight, then."

"Right," Vel murmured, eyes transfixed on Lidanya's duel with the berry, until her frown caught her attention. "I... It's inevitable amongst some commandos. Too much sensitive intel, and too little trust to go around."

Lidanya's voice again stopped her from thinking further about the matriarch's comment. "Of course, tonight is fine."

"Good… good," Lidanya repeated, more to herself than Vel. She looked up at the asari again after quickly glancing at her omni for the time. "Nine hours… unless my meeting runs over, again, which it almost certainly will. Make it ten."

She stopped to think for a moment, utensil tapping a slow rhythm against her plate. "If you have nothing else to do, and you're curious, I believe they are going over to the Cerberus ships for a proper sweep shortly. Who knows, you might find something interesting.

"Otherwise, you can move your stuff up. You_ can _sleep in the foyer, if you like, but there is an actual cabin next to mine. The one on the right. Ami's on the left," she clarified. There was no point delaying now that she had made her decision.

"Come tonight, you will be relocated there or the brig, anyway," she said mock-seriously while she finished the last bites of her meal—though she did not, perhaps foolishly, truly even entertain the possibility that Vel would turn out to be untrustworthy. Something about the asari had captivated her, and that something was unfalteringly ushering her to move forward.

Vel put down a mental note while silently sympathizing with Lidanya for having to attend a 9-hour long Council meeting. The joke of Citadel Council efficiency was that, in that span of time she could have completed everything the captain had suggested.

"Sure, nine hours is enough for me to get a sense of the situation over at the Cerberus ships... and to move my stuff to your foyer," she replied, taking a delicate sip of the water to hide a swelling excitement.

_Definitely a change from charging Reapers and Cerberus..._ she thought as she looked back to the day's events. It wasn't the first time she was assigned away frontline duty, though this time was different. A better room than the crew quarters was a given... but that was beside the fact that Lidanya was a delight to be around.

Vel quickly finished the last bits of the fish filet and nodded. "I will see you tonight then."

Lidanya nodded, and smiled as she got up—happily, _easily_, for the first time in… too long to bear thinking about. She stood there for a moment, feeling just a bit lost, unwilling to leave and unsure if there was something more she should say. She was overjoyed by this turn of events, all the more so because Vel seemed genuinely interested, if a little cautious. Still, perhaps it would be better to leave analyzing it all for… later.

"Tonight," she settled on saying. With a last smile, she strode in direction of the elevator, brushing her fingers along the edge of the table as she passed Vel.

Vel smiled as Lidanya passed her and took another slow sip of water before leaning back into the seat, bringing herself down from the high. Though her skin seemed to be working against her, still sensing the tiniest lingering flow of air In the captain's wake. Her eyes fixed on the table's edge before she shook and left the restaurant, determined to distract herself with tasks for now.


	3. Chapter 3

Even though the Citadel Fleet was not a frontline unit, its asari commandos were still drilled to near-perfection. Vel wasn't assigned to sweep the Cerberus ships, but watching them work through the captured vessels alongside turian and salarian teams was a treat.

After a brief catching-up with some of her previous teammates who were now also aboard the Destiny Ascension, Vel appeared at Lidanya's foyer with her duffel bag. Not wanting to disturb the Captain's adjutant, she headed for her cabin directly, using the remaining time to get settled in.

The cabin was fit for a senior officer, with its own bathroom, terminal, and a window. Vel resisted the urge to plop down on the comfortable-looking bed (her own bed! _On a warship!)_, instead allowing herself a moment to appreciate the room as the glow of the Wards flooded through the window and bathed everything in a soft purple haze.

_Definitely different,_ she thought again, looking back down at her open duffel bag, her thought drifting to to Lidanya. None of this would have happened without the captain's favor, and she definitely had been… welcoming. But there was something else underneath, something she'd chalked up as her own naive presumption; something which emanated from the captain in the most subtle glance of her eyes, and which had drawn Vel to accompany her whenever she requested. It was something that in the silence of her current solitude was too loud to dismiss. But to acknowledge it…

She cut her train of thought. The only certainty now was that she enjoyed Lidanya's company, as strange as it may have sounded coming from a commando.

* * *

Lidanya was unsurprised to find Ami waiting for her when the elevator doors opened. The maiden was nothing if not efficient, and the two minutes it took to walk to the captain's quarters were once again enough to go over the schedule for the following day.

With a promise to try for some rest, Lidanya bid her adjutant goodnight and pawed at the lock to let herself in her cabin—noting with approval the activated lock panel of the previously vacant room on the right. With a small smile and a thrum of anticipation, she stepped through the silently sliding door into her sanctuary.

She was a little early—which was to say, less late than she had assumed—and felt the urge to make the most of the short time she had gained. A quick glance told her there was little need to clean up for her guest; her traditional round bed was neatly made, the small kitchenette was uncluttered, and the seating area around the virtual fireplace and entertainment center was orderly for a change. She briefly considered moving the chairs out of the way, but left them alone as she realized that Vel might prefer to use one of them or even lie down rather than sit on the floor as Lidanya herself usually preferred.

_Well… I suppose I could make myself more presentable,_ she found herself thinking, not a little surprised by her vanity. It had been a long while since she had put any real effort into herself… when her daughters had taken her out the last time they had both been to visit, maybe? She smiled bemusedly at her foolishness, but did nevertheless quickly strip out of her uniform and toss it into the cleaner even as she reached for her one proper dress. Telling herself that a casual appearance would let Vel be more at ease in the meld, she slipped into the orange garment and made a brief, fussy stop at the bathroom mirror before returning to the cabin to stare at the calming sight of the nebula out of her panoramic window until her visitor would arrive.

* * *

Reaching for her pistol, Vel paused briefly as she contemplated her standard commando fatigues. A dress uniform was perhaps more suitable for a meeting with the captain, but this _was_ off-duty hours. Deciding on a less military-like look, she slipped out of the fatigues and pulled on her black tights and magenta top. Throwing her black jacket on and with quick clasps of her boots, she made for Lidanya's door—but not before clipping her Predator to her hip. She _was_ the captain's bodyguard, after all.

* * *

As much as Lidanya detested being held back at the Citadel when war raged all around her, the beautiful dance of lights visible through her window did remind her that it was not without reason. She could have watched it for hours, and often had, but tonight her thoughts were occupied by something else entirely.

She was still at the window when Vel arrived a few minutes later. She stood a handspan away from the glass, drawn to her full height, and arms crossed behind her back to combat the flutters of anticipation she felt deep in her abdomen. In the dimmed room, the few light sources painted her markings a bright, vivid pink. They did not _actually_ glow, as some of her younger staff liked to claim, the pigmentation merely reflected light incredibly well and thus created the illusion of luminescence.… and despite her increasing self-consciousness and frantic second thoughts about more professional attire, she knew she cut a striking figure with the ghostly lines on her skin cascading over her shoulders, along her arms, and as far down her back as the dress revealed.

She did not turn around when the door behind her slid open, listening instead for any clues to Vel's reaction to the door unlocking and opening automatically for her.

Vel took a second to survey the cabin as the door slipped open. Lights were dimmed, and a holographic fireplace painted the living area a warm orange. But her attention was drawn to the luscious violet glow of the Serpent nebula which bloomed from the panoramic window on the far end of the room. The five Wards were half-open, their city lights visible, giving the Citadel the impression of a jewel-encrusted star laying on a purple velvet, surrounded by silvery dots of light gleaming from passing starships.

And in the center of this frame was Lidanya, her silhouette tall and made even more striking against the vivid background, and her slender outline was accented by a soft lilac glow owing to her lavender skin tone. The orange dress flowed elegantly down her figure, and she appeared both regal and hauntingly beautiful.

Vel found herself stopped at the door, taking in the sight of the captain as if appreciating a piece of artwork with trepidatious awe. With a deep breath she shoved aside her doubt of whether she truly belonged here and took a step across the threshold, and another step, and another, until she was in the middle of the room. Certain that Lidanya heard her approach, she tucked her hands behind her and put on a bright smile.

Lidanya closed her eyes, shutting out everything but sound. It felt like minutes, but she only counted a few seconds until Vel's soft breath and rustle of movement behind her unwound the knot in her chest, the sign of the maiden's confidence and willingness finally allowing Lidanya to exhale. She heard the soft steps approach and come to a halt, but at first only turned her head, chin tilted demurely down and slowly opening eyes gazing into nothing as she tried to even her faintly quivering breath.

_You must trust her implicitly._

She had not quite regained her composure when she heeded her thoughts and forced herself to turn, willed herself to allow even the small signs of her weakness to be seen by Vel.

Seeking out the asari's eyes, Lidanya noted—how could she not, Goddess—that Vel had changed into more casual clothing, matching her own choice. Somewhere in the back of her mind her warrior-self nodded approvingly at the weapon, but her physical nod and smile were purely manifestations of the warm flush she felt at the confident, strong, and… beautiful and enticing asari before her.

Vel let her gaze linger on Lidanya's delicate movements as the dim lights played along her form and lit up her markings like pink luminescent foils. She felt her breath skip just once, finding herself longing for those glimmers as Lidanya slowly opened her eyes, and she allowed, perhaps unexpectedly, a softness into her own eyes as she met hers, heart stirring at the almost imperceptible weakness in the asari's poise.

"Good evening, Velana," Lidanya said softly, her voice involuntarily lower than usual, the words escaping even before she was able to consciously focus on the task of properly welcoming her guest again. "Would you care for something to drink before we begin? Or a bite to eat?" she asked with slightly more control.

In the privacy of the cabin and out of uniform, Vel realized as Lidanya's silky voice broke the silence like featherlight caress, that the asari behind the rank was... so much more.

She took a second to take another deep breath―though trying hard to conceal the fact―to acquire much needed oxygen and adjusted her tone to a semblance of normalcy before opening her mouth to decline the offer of refreshments. But she paused on a second thought, saying with a faint smile instead, "Wine, please."

Lidanya barely registered her own question. Even as she was saying the words, she saw _something _in Vel's eyes that engulfed her entire being. Her mouth formed the syllables, her hand rose in a polite gesture, but for a brief moment nothing existed except for those wondrous eyes.

Her breath hitched, and the muscles in her abdomen and even her hips tensed almost enough to be visible as the warm flush she'd felt earlier became a blissful flood that made real what she had tried to ignore… and it terrified her, the strength of the emotion, something powerful enough to sweep her away like a feather, something so completely out of her control.

She turned toward the kitchenette quickly, perhaps managing a nod and a smile as she did, unsure how clearly she had faltered. She strode toward the small cache of wine that she rarely touched, her first instinct to hide herself, to regain herself… but just in the few steps it took her, another desire rose, the desire to lose herself, to lose control, to… give herself to someone. To Vel. Maybe you imagined it. Maybe she just saw through you. And even if she… even if there had been something…

Vel stood tensely as Lidanya passed her to the kitchenette so closely that her scent seemed to draw across her teasingly with their proximity, and she wanted nothing but to indulge in that closeness, to be in her presence and to embrace that weakness. To feel her warmth.

In another second the matriarch was out of her sight, and she approached the panoramic window, hoping the coldness of space through the thick glass would cool away the flush that had overtaken her. _Goddess._

With a shaking hand, Lidanya pulled the stopper from her favorite Illium vintage, thoughts racing through her head. Even if there had been something, she could never make an advance, not toward her subordinate. She feared she had already been too forward in her moments of weakness. She told herself she didn't dare hope that Vel would, but hope she did, hope that what she had seen was real, and that the maiden would be fearless enough…

Wrenching herself from her fantasy, she tried to recompose herself, to somehow fix the behavior that must have seemed bizarre or even rude to Vel. "…Please, sit anywhere you like, Vel," she said, knowing she should have tried to turn to smile at the asari to reassure her, but not daring to move her gaze from the glasses before her.

After having cleared her mind enough to re-orient herself to her surroundings, Vel looked into the kitchenette—to check on the host, of course—from the safety of their distance. _It was real_, she thought while quietly admiring Lidayna's elegance. But would she be way out of line to even imagine that flare of emotion between them would manifest itself into something…

She snapped back at Lidanya's voice, drifting softly from across the room (so soft—as the asari wasn't facing her—that she almost missed it). Murmuring a thanks, she settled on one end of a couch, hands on her knees, facing away from the kitchenette for a chance to compose herself before the matriarch returned.

Lidanya carefully replaced the stopper, but left the bottle on the counter instead of stowing it. She had the feeling she might have use of it later… and in any case, it would be a convenient excuse to get up and give herself distance if she needed it.

She lifted the two delicate glasses, enjoying the confidence with which her hands held the vessels, the fluid within barely stirring as she turned back toward the room.

If the concentration of pouring the wine had momentarily cleared her head, she was lost again as soon as she laid eyes on Vel, primly seated on the sofa. The fire from within and the light from outside danced on the maiden's crest, caressing the folds and contours as Lidanya only wished she could. So vivid was the image that she could barely keep her hands steady as she felt ghosts of imaginary, reciprocal fingers tracing across her own skin.

_Oh, Goddess, I must call this off. She will see right through me, I cannot…_

But she didn't. Her legs, closer to her heart than her mind, carried her to the maiden's side in just a few steps, carried her so close that she thought she could feel the heat of Vel's body radiating against her thigh. She leaned down just slightly to pass one of the glasses to her guest.

"Here," she said, trying to distract herself from her own thoughts and the captivating visage just below her.

Vel heard the soft rustle of footsteps, but she kept her eyes on a dreadnought somewhere outside the panoramic window, finding repose in the orderly trails of lights of Citadel traffic, until Lidanya's voice brought her back. She received the glass with courteous grace, finger brushing Lidanya's almost imperceptibly and almost innocently. Behind her polite smile, her eyes danced along the matriarch's luminescent markings, finding their ways to those beautiful pools of light.

And for just a second, _Goddess_, she let her mind wander, bathing in Lidanya's mesmerizing gaze from such closeness, wishing in that instant to be the only subject of that attention.

Lidanya felt like she was drowning in the twin pools of magenta looking up at her. They wandered with only the slightest hesitation before fixing her, and held her longer than she would have dared hope. Even the physical touch of their fingers was a faint echo of the connection she wanted to believe she felt in those eyes.

_She will see it_, Lidanya thought with panic clawing its way into her consciousness when Vel freed her to set her glass down. Even her centuries of practice only went so far… this meld was to touch specifically on their relationship. If the maiden's mind was half as bold and disciplined as Lidanya thought, she would see it well enough. _I should call it off, or tell her. She will see how I feel,_ she thought, embarrassment flushing through her. "Would you like for me to take your jacket?" she said instead.

Vel looked away before her eyes said too much and nodded a reply. Setting down the glass, she shrugged her black jacket off and pulled her arms out of the sleeves, revealing the magenta-tinted depiction of a wicked dagger inset in a Thessian rose adorning her left shoulder. As she removed the jacket completely, tendrils of thorny brambles spiralled out of the centrepiece design, crawling down along her arm, and ending on the back of her hand.

"Thank you," she said, holding out her jacket, looking back at Lidanya.

The sight of the rose pushed the jacket out of Lidanya's mind, the intricate shape instantly recognizable even heavily stylized… and she could smell them, felt the memories reaching for her. Her eyes followed the design down Vel's arm and back again, drinking in the asari's surprisingly slender frame… slender, but not frail. Taut muscles rippled reassuringly as the jacket came off to reveal a magenta shirt perfectly complementary to the tattoo and those wondrous eyes… and quite complementary to the curves underneath.

Lidanya thought she couldn't pry her gaze off the tattoo and the enticing body it was imprinted on, but when Vel's eyes turned back to her, there was nothing else and the decision was made. _Let her see. She can pretend she did not… but if she wants it, and if she is bold enough, she will take it._

Vel could feel Lidanya's gaze. She could feel it along her shoulders as she removed the jacket, and its ghostly caress along her torso as she shifted slightly in her seat seemingly innocuously. She kept her chin down, slowly straightening out the jacket in her hands, not wanting to stop the matriarch at all, and most of all not wanting to reveal any more through her own wavering eyes, until she had to finally hand the clothes to her host.

Rendered breathless by the step she had chosen to take, Lidanya quickly grasped the offered jacket and turned to take it… somewhere. She had not actually considered that part, and simply walked to hang it in her own closet. "Your… your art is beautiful," she said over her shoulder, somewhere beyond fear now. "Is there a story to it?"

Her fluttering heart calmed slightly when Lidanya moved away, and she dared take a breath, though her mind raced with anxiety. There was no point hiding it now, she had already stepped out of line with her carelessness, and her mind would be as plain as an open book during the meld… but she couldn't change how she felt.

"The rose is the symbol of my hometown… A small district in northern Thessia, by the mountains. And the dagger is the symbol of our huntress order. It's sort of our little ritual for joining the ranks," she said, her soft voice barely audible before she finally dragged herself fully back to reality.

"Each little branch of bramble represents a mission after I joined the commandos, and each thorn on a vine is a kill," she continued, though turning slightly embarrassed as she went on, "After the Reapers invaded, I haven't had time to work on the tat. It's _grossly_ outdated. But with the number of battles we've had to fight, I may have to figure out something else before I'm completely covered in ink."

Lidanya wished she could trace the brambles, follow each perfect line of magenta to each thorn, reliving the tapestry of Vel's experiences. Longing for the touch, she let her finger trail the sleeve of the jacket before she reluctantly closed the door and turned only to stand there gazing back at Vel, confounded by being so unwilling to go to the only place she wanted to be.

"I remember the foothills in the north, and the bloom…" she said, trailing off as she tried to summon her earlier courage, forgetting to finish the thought. She knew she should have tried to regain control of the situation, to draw herself back and distance herself, but for the first time in years she felt completely _safe_ in the company of another… a strange realization through the heart-fluttering trepidation, the near-panic she felt.

Vel smiled softly, delighted by the flash of memory invoked by Lidanya's few words. "The bloom that carpets the slopes and fills the valley with an avalanche of lavender," she reminisced, magenta eyes looking wistfully at the holographic fireplace. "And petals that drift and dance through southerly breeze, their fragrance traveling as far north as the bay."

She looked back at her host, wondering if she was also from around the same parts that she'd be familiar with the imagery, or if she had simply spent time there; perhaps as a student on a careless summer, or as a traveller who made the pilgrimage for the sights? The draw she felt in her being that had pulled her to Lidanya all this time was now tinged with a sense of curiosity, and she wanted to know more about her.

Lidanya walked back to Vel's side with as much confidence as she could muster. She leaned down to pick her glass back up, only to realize that the maiden's presence made even the most trivial decision an incredible maze of possibilities and outcomes as she tried to decide whether she would dare seat herself next to Vel on the sofa, or the chair opposite the asari.

Vel's smile widened as the matriarch returned, and she shifted just slightly towards the armrest, subtly hinting at the space on the other end of the couch as she looked up at Lidanya expectantly.

Glancing over as she straightened back up, glass uncertainly in hand, Lidanya's eyes fell on Vel's again. In her warm vertigo, she almost missed the maiden's subtle, inviting shift.

With what she hoped was a small smile, she ran her free hand down her dress and gathered the hem against her thigh to slip to the other side between Vel's knees and the low table on the other side.

Vel's gaze involuntarily followed the trail of Lidanya's hand before she politely looked away, turning her knees accommodatingly to one side just barely enough to allow passage. She felt her chest constricting as the matriarch came so close that she could feel her warmth on her cheek, and the shallowness of her breath was the only thing that stopped her from turning and meeting those down-cast eyes.

Eyes cast down at her feet to guide herself in this exhilarating closeness, Lidanya found herself babbling, the memories set alight by the fondness in Vel's words. "I spent a few years there… never up on the mountains, just on the foothills," she said as she tried to seat herself as gracefully as she could, legs neatly folding behind her and her elbow leaning against the backrest to allow her to face Vel—if she ever dared to lift her gaze back to the maiden, that was.

"School expeditions…" she continued, "I wanted be a biologist. _Am_ one, technically. I graduated, but rejoined the fleet right after."

"I imagine the landscape must've been even more breathtaking back then…" Vel said, reining her mind back to reality, watching with courteous attention as Lidanya sat down neatly. She turned slightly in her seat to face her, though she didn't move back against the armrest. "And the animals," she continued, her voice taking on an even lighter tone, "they're as at ease with us as with their own kind."

The wine glass weighed in her hand, and she finally gathered her courage and lifted the glass slightly, offering a coy smile as she proposed, "To… the bloom of the mountains and the animals?"

"To the bloom," Lidanya agreed as she lifted her own glass, something about Vel's words drawing out a less inhibited smile and encouraging her to look up. Her eyes lingered far too long on the beautiful pattern on Vel's arm—so close, only a handspan away—and scandalously long on the lips drawn into such a perfect invitation, before she finally sought Vel's eyes.

It was all Lidanya could do to keep still, to not ask for permission to reach across this short distance to trace the brambles with her fingers or—Goddess—to feel Vel's lips on hers. Trying to hide her trembling breath and her guileless eyes, she turned her head to the side and tilted her chin up just slightly to sip her wine, hoping that the familiar, favored taste would ground her.

Vel lifted the glass as Lidanya did and took a small sip of the wine. The Illium vintage was a change from… _vodka_, she thought, which definitely felt like the only alcoholic beverage of choice amongst her Alliance team mates.

She stole a glance at the matriarch over the rim of the glass, eyes tracing along her swept-back fringes as she mapped her delicate side-profile and slender neck. She saw the longing in Lidanya's eyes, and they sent a shiver through her skin as they drew across ever so slowly and tenderly to her own. She wanted her to ask, and her intent eyes had expressed as much.

"I am sorry for making you wait," Lidanya said when she lowered the glass into her lap, savoring the complexity of the wine as she tried to think of the most mundane discussion to gain time to gather her thoughts… but nothing to do with Vel was mundane. "How did your day pass?"

"I didn't wait long at all, unpacking took a bit of time…" Vel replied, tucking her legs under her as she twisted her torso slightly, leaning just barely noticeably closer. "After our lunch, I boarded the captured Cerberus vessels with the assault teams. I wasn't assigned to participate, but I was able to watch the operation. The efficiency and precision of the commandos of the Citadel Fleet rival even those seasoned ones on the frontlines.

"How was your meeting?" she asked finally, using the question as cover to lock her gaze on Lidanya's, her magenta eyes dancing as she sought the same emotion in the matriarch.

"It…" Lidanya started, trailing off when she raised her eyes to Vel's, and saw the desire in them. _I am not imagining it,_ she thought, her breath hitching and her thighs pressing together as she tried to still her body.

_Oh, Goddess._

She tilted her chin down, and looked down at her lap as she tried to think through flashes of their joined bodies and minds, wanting nothing more than to pull Vel into her arms… but she could not. It was not possible. She had lived with the military law for so long that no matter how lost she already was, no matter how much Vel may have felt the same, Lidanya could not cross that line.

"…It was… fine. No news," she managed to say.

Seeing her emotion mirrored in those twin pools of magenta gave her courage, though, courage that she had to share with Vel. She had concentrated so much on controlling her own emotions that she had neglected to allow for the possibility that Vel might need encouragement. She needed to invite Vel, let her know that she was welcome, that Lidanya would be hers to take.

Lidanya looked up into Vel's eyes again, still from under her lashes and chin demurely tilted, but unflinchingly now, allowing her gaze to say what she couldn't. She reached forward with a hand yearning for touch, and let her eyes quickly flick to the delicate lines of the tattoo before returning to Vel's. "May I…?"

Vel's heart quickened slightly from what she saw in Lidanya's eyes, the shift of her body, and the faintest hitch of her breath. The longing that they shared beckoned her like dancing flame to a moth, and she lowered the glass to her lap, fearing that it may tip in her wavering hand.

Her mind went into knots temporarily, forgetting any reply she had prepared for the conversation. They were irrelevant now... not when Lidanya's hand was only inches away from her. She looked down, seemingly innocent to the matriarch's request, using this moment to collect herself and still her wandering thoughts that begged her to take the offered hand in hers, expressing how they both felt through their interlaced fingers… But she managed to ground herself and put on a welcoming smile before looking back up, answering softly and invitingly, but not overly eagerly, "Of course."

She had the presence of mind to set the half-empty wine glass on the low table before leaning forward, right hand propped on the cushion as her tattooed left arm reached out, hovering a finger away under Lidanya's hand.

Lidanya indulged herself and savored the last of her wine as she watched Vel lean down to put her glass away, eyes stealing on the soft, sensitive ridges behind her crest.

As Vel rose back up and leaned forward, Lidanya took the moment to try to settle herself, wresting her eyes away from vibrant teal and magenta contours to deposit her own glass back on the table.

She leaned back up, taking the opportunity to shift closer to Vel as she did, bringing her knees forward, almost touching the side of Vel's leg. She let herself slump just slightly to make herself smaller, and turned her upper body directly toward the maiden.

_Please…_ she thought, a half-prayer as she sought out Vel's eyes again, looking distinctly up at her now. Lidanya reached out across the small space separating them, first bringing her left hand underneath Vel's. With the infinite care, she gently touched her palm to Vel's under the guise of stabilizing and lifting her arm… not quite daring to clasp the hand, feeling as though she was floating off the couch from just the small contact.

Vel's fingers dug into the cushion, looking for support as Lidanya shifted closer and sent a ghostly sensation crawling along her leg. A tinge of blue flush crept into her cheeks when she looked down, seeing those eyes looking back up at her, and the hinted intent swimming in them had only become suffocatingly clear with their proximity.

Her heart raced when their palms touched, and she gave a tiny bit of resistance to coax more contact as the hand lifted up her arm. She grew breathless as Lidanya's finger traced the tattoos, as if her fingertip drew the breath right out of her with its lightest motion along her skin, slowly setting her mind alight with flashes of fantasy. She wanted to nudge forward just slightly and loop her arm around her slender waist, embracing the form that rested next to her ever so delicately.

The fingers of Lidanya's right hand lightly touched Vel's wrist, trailing a line up just a little before moving her hand over the asari's shoulder, fingertips hovering where the tattoo started, just above the dagger. "So beautiful…" she said quietly, locking eyes again. "Is this the beginning?" she asked, giving the asari one more out.

As Lidanya's finger rested on her shoulder and the matriarch caught her again with her gaze, Vel's breathing stilled to a near-complete stop. "Yes…" she whispered softly and almost soundlessly, thumb brushing against the back of the matriarch's hand as her fingers curled around hers, "…it is." She leaned down, her magenta eyes searching and finding the courage in the asari in front of her before closing, snuffing out any lingering fear and pressed her lips softly against Lidanya's.

Vel's 'yes' took Lidanya's breath away, even the throb of her heart pausing in the second stretching to infinity when Vel's eyes captured hers.

Whatever poise she had built melted away in that first brush of their lips along with her lingering fears and doubts. Even hopes and dreams were forgotten in that moment. All that remained were the two of them, and _now._

She responded to the kiss after the briefest moment, not of hesitation but of complete powerlessness under her emotion, responded to Vel's gentleness with equal tenderness and the lightest pressure even as she curled lower underneath Vel, fingers twining with the maiden's and her other hand sliding up to the curve of Vel's neck.

Struggling to breathe for the wonderful, aching lightness in her chest, she forced herself to break from the lingering kiss to see Vel, to lose herself in those eyes again. Lidanya's eyes fluttered open as she drank in the intoxicating scent of the asari, lips still hovering on hers.

Their contact brought on a dizzying vertigo as if the entire universe around them had fallen away, leaving Vel suspended amidst a bottomless sea, the softness of Lidanya's lips the only thing that held her. If her first brush was a fearless gesture of the stirring of her heart, the matriarch's response was an acceptance that gripped her with the lightest reciprocity; faint, but undeniably certain.

Her fingers slid between Lidanya's, curling over the back of her hand, head tilted down for her as the caressing hand rested lightly on her neck. She leaned closer, her hand cupping the matriarch's cheek gently and reassuringly, slender fingers wrapped just barely over the back of her crest. Their legs were definitely touching now, and even that was almost an afterthought in that instant as she lost herself in the kiss.

She let out a ghostly breath as Lidanya broke away, drawing much needed air for herself slightly shakily from a wash of high. Her thumb brushed lightly along the asari's cheek and her eyes fixed on hers again, holding her tenderly with her gaze as she offered small, soft kisses on her hovering lips as if savoring their closeness.

Lidanya couldn't help the small smile playing on her lips for the wash of relief and contentment, of safety and and the deeper currents of emotions yet unnamed flaring with each brush of Vel's lips. She indulged herself another moment of captivity under that gaze, and then captured Vel's mouth for a kiss… still softly, but deeper, shivers dancing welcome trails down her spine with each small tremble of Vel's breath.

Vel exhaled and allowed herself to be drawn in, fingers stroking the sensitive ridges below Lidanya's crest. The emotion in the asari's eyes was soft, yet incredibly intoxicating; tender, yet seizing her with the strength of her feathery caress, and she felt each delightful quiver of the matriarch's breath tugging her closer.

Reluctantly, Lidanya relinquished the simple happiness of holding the maiden's hand, gently lowering it onto the knee she slid up on the cushion. Gasping into the kiss for the sensation of both of Vel's hands on her, Lidanya trailed her now free hand over Vel's side and onto the curve of her waist.

Vel stretched her torso with the movement of Lidanya's hand, nudging it with a slight shift of her waist invitingly. Her hand propped on the cushion behind the matriarch, the freed hand gliding gently along her leg as she leaned into the kiss.

The asari before her felt different; there was still an undertone of weakness in the tiny movements of her body, but the movements were also… relaxed, as if comforted by their close proximity. And Vel would be there, faithfully guarding Lidanya from whatever plagued her heart as she would any other threat.

Lidanya's eyes fluttered, each attempt at keeping them open thwarted by the electrifying strokes along her folds and now her thigh, her body wanting to both lean back into the caress and forward, upward into the kiss.

The most overwhelming urge caused her back to arch, her chest to push forward with the need to feel Vel's body against hers, to be held in those arms, desired and protected. Her unsteady hand gripped onto the the taut muscling just behind the curve of Vel's hip, fingers sliding slightly frustratingly on the magenta fabric as she pulled Vel toward herself, on top of herself even as she curled further underneath the asari.

She parted her lips just slightly, letting the softer, inner parts touch on Vel's in a promise, a welcome before she broke momentarily, only to softly kiss the corner of Vel's mouth, nuzzling the maiden's cheek as she trailed kisses down to her jawline and her neck, all the while trying to ignore the tantalizing presence of Vel's mind, so close for her to reach.

Vel let out a soft hum as the matriarch broke the kiss, trembling with a sense of longing, but she turned her head slightly to one side, promoted by the tiny hint of Lidanya's lips. Her breathing increased and she leaned lower, pressing her chest against Lidanya, caressing the asari below her with a rhythmic movement of her body, indulging for a moment in Lidanya's trailing kisses.

Her fingers dug lightly into the creases beneath Lidanya's crest, her own mental barrier lowering by the beating of her heart. A sensation of electricity manifested from her mind and coursed through her spine, drawing a faint gasp from her and continued to crawl across her skin, seeking, thirsting under the layer of fabric.

Lidanya ducked her head a little lower, laying a kiss just underneath the curve of Vel's jaw and trailing her lips along the side of her neck down to the first neck fold, savoring the slight change of texture almost as much as the scent of Vel's skin.

Murmuring with pleasure as Vel's embrace became more assertive, she kissed her way up along the folds to the delicate furrows around the ear, pausing only for a moment before lightly, hesitantly flicking the tip of her tongue across the sensitive skin.

Vel tilted her chin up and turned it slightly to one side, obediently under Lidanya's trail of gentle kisses, offering more access. Her spine arched into a pleasured curve as she purred softly in response, her body meeting the matriarch's in a slow undulation.

Her fingers worked under the crest, keeping her close while she caressed the sensitive creases under the folds, at times curling with eagerness from Lidanya's roaming lips, and shivering with a powerlessness from the timid lick.

"_Vel…_" Lidanya breathed out, more an affirmation than anything else.

"_Lidanya..._" Vel used the brief lapse to tilt her head down again, her hand stroking along the top of Lidanya's fringes as she whispered by her ear, soft voice cooing reassuringly and protectively.

Lidanya tried to shape her mind to receive Vel while she was still able to, struggling to concentrate even for the briefest moment through the sensations all over her body now, each more pleasing than the other, and the welling emotion… Wishing for Vel to reach into her later when the moment became right, she tried to leave herself open and welcoming.

Her body responded to Vel's cues instinctively and with certainty, letting the commando's strong arms take a little more of her weight even as she sought more contact, her breasts and abdomen pressing against Vel's, reveling in the warmth and the bewitching motion, her fingers tucking just slightly under Vel's waistband.

Vel kissed the soft fold below and pulled back with a lingering nip, her mind sensing a call, a welcoming emotion somewhere in the ethereal space between their two beings, dancing with alluring invitation.

She replied with an answering emotion, phantasmal at first, slowly glowing into tangibleness, lighting up her mind before spreading across the rest of her body, heating up her skin with a darker tinge of blue as nerve endings sparked.

Lidanya smiled slightly as she felt ripples from the eager stirring of Vel's mind, more than happy to let the asari take it—take _her_—at her own pace. The smile turned into a uncontrolled, chest-shuddering gasp as Vel's fingers deftly worked their way deeper underneath her crest, the muscles of her fringe relaxing with her building arousal.

Even her neck and shoulders gave, leaving her head resting on Vel's hand for a moment before she regained a little control and slowly drew back, cheek brushing against cheek, nose against nose until she found herself lost in Vel's eyes again.

Vel planted a trail of quick kisses along Lidanya's neck, breathing out as softly as she could, feeling the building high. Her heart rang with the same stir as they locked eyes again, taking in Lidanya's emotion that seemed to manifest in every small movement of her body and her intent gaze. Vel was drawn to the asari's elegant beauty and the way she carried the might of the Fleet so seemingly effortlessly; the might that also hid Lidanya's longing behind a mask of command, a longing that the matriarch decided to allow Vel a glimpse.

_A longing that also drew her to me_, she thought as she saw the emotion flickering in her dancing eyes.

The thought of this beautiful, wonderful creature wanting her, wanting to be _with_ her overpowered Lidanya, stilled her body. The sense of safety, of belonging, was so strong that she could not, did not want to hide the plea in her eyes nor her thoughts as she looked into those pools of magenta, lips parting unconsciously.

Vel took another second to savour the plea emanating from Lidanya's thoughts before dipping her head, irises shifting rapidly from magenta to pitch black before her eyes closed. She cupped Lidanya's cheeks with her hands, and a wave of emotion reached out in a warm embrace as their lips touched.

Lia lost her hold on the physical for an instant, so strong was the initial rush of Vel's being into her despite its gentleness. The welcome kiss was lost in a flash of obsidian when they joined, all sensation falling away until for that briefest moment nothing remained but Vel all around her.

A curtain of darkness fell around Vel as her eyes swirled into pools of black. Her mind unravelled and refocused, sensing and following the only other warmth in the immaterial space. The rhythmic movement of their bodies slowed to a halt as her awareness to reality severed, holding onto the familiar light, and the second slowed to an instant that lasted an eternity in the embrace of their minds.

The world returned in the slowing pulses of their two hearts, each time slightly more whole, Vel's mind holding hers in a tender but strong embrace just as her body was, their kiss just as the gentle twining of their minds even as ghosts of sensations from Vel became ever stronger.

_This is her._ The brief haze lifted to clarity only shared between interwoven minds, the emotion was as sweet as Vel had felt in flesh as her consciousness laced with Lidanya's. She immersed in the presence of tender thoughts, caressing the edge of consciousness. The pleasure of her body made divine with the purest form of affection.

Lia let Vel explore her rather than reach out herself yet, her affection and desire foremost in her mind… but the tenderness and the perfection with which the asari's mind enveloped hers helped a little to quell the fear and embarrassment that upheld the few mental walls that still remained.

_Vel…_

Beyond the facade of a captain and a matriarch, even beyond the private, more vulnerable glimpse that had captivated her, Vel found the asari within. Still strange, yet hauntingly familiar, and she held out a gentle gesture, her mind whispering in turn.

_Lia..._

Lia smiled into the kiss, the invocation of her pet name setting her more at ease and stripping away the defensive structures she had created for herself even as the world solidified around them again… the world, but especially Vel.

Within the tender and curious embrace of the asari's mind, and the intoxicating intertwining and amplification of their mutual attraction and affection, she found her thoughts circling back to the sensual as her body responded to the kiss with the passion she felt within herself and within Vel, each touch conjuring vivid flashes of fantasies to the fore of her thoughts.

The reassuring, exhilarating weight of Vel on her even let needs surface that she would never have shared in a meld without the trust and comfort she felt in Vel's arms. With deep embarrassment she pushed aside those thoughts of submission, the excitement of giving herself to Vel completely, and the burning wish that the asari would one day be able to fulfill that need…

Vel purred into the kiss as she regained a grip on reality from Lia's entrancing presence. The feedback of emotion as the matriarch's mind overlapped her own was blissfully overwhelming, and her thoughts enveloped Lia's protectively as if taking the place of the asari's previous mental barriers.

_Now is not the time_, Lia's confused thoughts swirled, Vel's gentleness pulling her back into the moment even as she found her hands sliding down the asari's sides and onto her back, feeling through Vel the ghosts of her own fingers brush along the skin as they slipped underneath the magenta top and tugged it upwards.

Behind flashes of passion and sensation that sparked between their awarenesses, there was something hidden. It was something like the hint of weakness that Vel witnessed in Lia by the panoramic window, except now in the openness of their meld, it was more than a hint.

Fragments of fantasies flared to the surface before being suppressed, and Lia's raw willingness to submit sent a slight thrill through Vel. She reached up, turning Lia's head slightly to one side with her hand as she licked along a ridge behind the asari's neck as if making a mark, before nipping the soft flesh lightly between her teeth.

She broke away to let out a soft gasp as Lia's fingers brushed over the sensitive areas along her spine, her own hand sliding between the cushion and Lia's back to reciprocate. She shifted lower briefly and invitingly, allowing Lia's hands to slide higher, before shifting back up, her tongue flicking higher to the folds under the asari's headcrests.

A whimper escaped Lia's lips with that first lick and nibble, the flash of possessiveness she felt in Vel undoing the last of her apprehension. Vel's protectiveness and the incredible sense of belonging and the way the asari's mind wove into hers had grounded Lia, given her the confidence and security to open and expose herself… and the way that Vel tentatively lay claim to her drove Lia to the edge, the need to be_Vel__'__s_flooding her consciousness with affirmation and encouragement.

Vel let her sensations run freely through the meld as Lia's fingers danced expertly along her spine. The thoughts that held Lia was tinged with a growing desire as her mind was set aflame with the asari's echoing emotion and a deep willingness to be _hers_. Her hips moved with Lia's, and her back curved and shifted under the irresistible touch of Lia's hands.

Lia shifted slightly, her hips bucking against Vel's even as her back flexed toward the asari's hand, yearning for her touch. She let Vel turn her head as she pleased to expose her neck and crest to the skillful tongue the caress of which left her trembling and gasping, her own hands exploring Vel's uncovered back, lightly brushing down the columns of muscle on both sides of her spine and briefly slipping underneath the waist of her pants before drawing trails up to the small of Vel's back, seeking out the sensitive spots that Vel had already found, guided by the strengthening sensations she felt through their joining.

Vel explored as Lia did, her tongue tasting the delicious trembles wrought by her flicking, picking up the most sensitive areas along the ridges at the back of Lia's head from mental flares of pleasure. She worked those spots in response to the movement of Lia's fingers, lapping them with her tongue as a signal, subtly guiding Lia's touch along her spine.

It was all Lia could do to keep her fingers stroking and teasing the strands of nerves in the small of Vel's back, the asari's deft tongue drawing soft mewls of pleasure and causing her fingers to grasp tighter as it danced from one sensitive fold to another.

Vel's hand slid behind Lia, supporting her back as her other hand reluctantly let go of the asari's chin. Taking a daring initiative and longing for more contact, her free hand travelled along Lia's torso, seeking and undoing the fastenings on her long dress.

The disappointment of losing the caressing touch of Vel's hands amazingly made it into Lia's consciousness, but all the stronger was the quivering flush when she glimpsed Vel's intention in her thoughts just as she felt one strong arm lift her off the cushion and the other begin to undo her dress all the while the asari's tongue kept her rising higher and higher with its flicks and strokes.

She had to bite her lip only to keep her embarrassing whimpering down, but through a small grin and another soft gasp, she managed to form a single audible word.

"Bed."

The faint word rode on the heated emotion that bound Vel and Lia together in their meld, the passion behind it kneaded into Vel's mind by the melting touch of Lia's fingers. She could only nod wordlessly, nibbling on Lia's neck firmly in silent agreement.

Vel pushed up slightly on the cushions, only far enough so she could see Lia, longing burning in her eyes at this temporary separation from the asari. Her hand let go of the zipper for now and stroked along Lia's headcrest as she brushed her lips against hers, stopping short of a kiss as she sat up, teasing Lia to follow.

Lia shuddered when Vel drew away, the loss of the bewitching tongue and strong arms only made bearable by the lingering sensations and the emotion she felt through the meld, the emotion that was reflected in Vel's eyes when the asari looked down at her, the emotion that became overwhelming at that lightest touch of Vel's lips and the caress of her hand on Lia's crest.

Vel stood up and took a half-step back, her hands still holding onto Lia's. The same violet light bloomed from the panoramic window, blending with the delectable shade of lavender blush on Lia's soft skin, making the asari seem almost heavenly. It was impossible to keep her breath steady—not after she had tasted Lia's embrace, and she gave a small tug on her hands as she took another half-step back towards the bed.

Lia let Vel rise, hands reluctantly letting go of the receding hips, almost believing that the unbearable lightness she felt would lift her along with the maiden. The sight of Vel above her stole her breath away, the beautiful, graceful features bathed in the dancing, purple light, the asari's quickened breath… Lia could only clasp Vel's hands tighter for her desire to let her fingers take the place of the rays of light caressing every curve and contour.

She all but forgot her disheveled state and her slipping dress as Vel pulled her up effortlessly. Unable to stop herself she took a step closer and brought herself into an embrace by drawing her arms behind her back, hands still clasping Vel's as they came together over the curve of Lia's rear. The brush of her breasts against Vel caused another delicious flush and throb within her as she ducked in to nuzzle Vel's neck, the tip of her nose softly brushing against skin as she breathed the asari in.

Vel's arms wrapped around Lia tightly, hands resting behind the asari. Her fingers weaved between hers, caressing with the simple friction of skin as Lia's small frame nestled in her arms. The complementing curvatures of their bodies met, so softly with a flood of mutual yearning that resonated in their meld, drawing a grin and a quivering exhalation from her.

She let go of Lia's hands as her nuzzling seized her. Lifting her chin compliantly, her hands glided down Lia's spine, keeping her close. She could feel the flush within Lia as if it was her own, infectious and... addictive. The brush of Lia's breasts coaxed her hips to press tightly against the asari as her hands snuck lower to Lia's rear, searching for more of the sweet emotion.

Lia delighted in the small sounds and trembles of pleasure she elicited from Vel, the asari's arms around her the support her weakened knees needed. Seeking out the most sensitive spots along Vel's neck, she teased with the tip of her nose and small jets of cool air, only shreds of restraint keeping her lips hovering just above the skin.

She smiled when she felt the ghost of Vel's grin on her own lips, the perfection with which she fit against the asari raising a sense of contentment even through the ever-building desire that burned every part of her… every part of _them_. She gasped sharply and only barely kept herself from burying her face into the curve of Vel's neck when the asari slid her hands lower and pulled her closer, the heat of their bodies unbearable as their hips joined.

A biotic shroud began to swirl about Vel like ghostly arcs of blue fire, lightening them both through subtle manipulation of mass fields as she took another few steps back. She let out a soft gasp and almost tripped in her backwards trek as Lia roamed over sensitive spots along her neck, thankful that the back of her weakened legs finally touched the edge of the round bed.

So perfectly in unison did they move toward the bed that Lia almost didn't notice at first, her body responding to Vel's confident guidance on its own. She let the asari pull her until they came to a halt, lightly raking her fingernails over Vel's forearms behind her back, enjoying the singular sensation of the maiden's biotic aura dancing around them.

With a smile and a flood of emotion through their meld, she drew slightly back to seek out Vel's eyes, losing herself in the pools of magenta now amidst the swirling obsidian as she gently guided the asari to seat herself on the bed while Lia remained standing before her, the straps of her undone dress ever so slowly slipping off her shoulders without their embrace to keep it in place.

A breathlessness took over Vel as Lia's gaze fixated on her, the desire echoing behind those beautiful eyes setting her skin ablaze. She pulled back, planting a soft kiss on Lia's lips before sitting down on the bed, her eyes savoring the smooth contour of Lia's shoulders as her hands traced down along the base of the asari's neck to her shoulders. Feeling the resonance of her touch through the meld, she gently pushed down the straps of Lia's undone dress along her arms like unwrapping a precious present.

Lia leaned imperceptibly forward seeking the lips that had left hers with a soft promise of more, stopping herself when the incredible flutter of anticipation she'd felt earlier flared up as Vel's hands rose to her neck and trailed down over her shoulders.

_Lia... _

With another intimate whisper of the pet name, Vel slowly lowered the dress along Lia's luscious figure, allowing her eyes to map the blue skin underneath as it was revealed. Her lips followed; softly, with a tinge of eager possessiveness, laying a trail of kisses along Lia's front as the dress came down.

Lia felt a sudden wave of bashfulness when Vel lowered the dress past her shoulders and ever down, the silken fabric slowly brushing over shivering skin to reveal her chest and breasts, her abdomen. The reassurance of Vel's invocation of the name private to just the two of them settled her again, the exhilarating sensations Vel's lips caused as they traveled down her body only rivaled by the exquisite beauty that was the sight of the asari kissing her.

Seeking Vel's eyes each time she looked up, Lia brought her hands to the asari's crest, lightly holding onto her and stroking along the length of the fringes with her fingers. She smiled as she felt the hint of possessiveness in Vel again, the knowledge that this was for her and her alone thrilling Lia as she tried to convey all her feelings in a single thought representing this wonderful being before her._ Vel…_

Vel let the dress fall with a shuffling sound of fabric, looking up at Lia. Her chin rested against the asari's torso as if cued by the gentle stroking on her fringes that only worked to fan the smolder within her. She drank in Lia's submissive gaze, sensing through the meld the desire to be hers alone, and her mind held Lia's consciousness tenderly, promising with an affirmation of what Vel had felt for the beautiful asari before her.

The powerful emotion conveyed in Lia's single mental whisper of Vel's name moved her to wrap her arms around Lia's waist tightly, responding with a soft nibble on the asari's abdomen as she laid claim, tasting the thrill that was as addictive as the delicious flush emanating from Lia. Vel wanted her, to feel her warmth against herself, to move to the rhythm of her body, and to bathe in her enticing emotion.

Lia's back arched as Vel's arms circled around her waist, needing the asari closer… just closer. The perfectly comfortable room was no longer warm enough for her. A chill ran over her skin and the heat she needed could only be found in Vel's embrace.

Her fingers curled into the creases of Vel's crest when she felt the entirety of the asari's response to her own emotions, desperately seeking something tangible to hold on as she melted into the feeling, losing herself for a moment. Many quickened throbs of her heart later, Vel's strong arms around her and the sharper possessiveness and the teeth on her skin brought her back.

With a slight shift, Vel moved aside along the edge of the bed, making room beside her as she looked up at Lia again, fingers brushing along the small of her back teasingly.

Lia forced her eyes open again, taking in the sight below her. She wanted to straddle Vel, sit in her lap with legs wrapped around the asari's waist and the physical urge was almost overwhelming… but Vel wanted her at her side. With quivering breath from the thrill of obedience she felt, she let her knees fold, turning around as she sat on the bed, her trailing hand drifting from the Vel's crest to her jaw and lightly turning the asari's face toward herself.

Vel turned her head to Lia by the the airy touch of her fingers… so light was the gesture that it left her gasping softly for more contact, her mind hazy with the flush of urges permeating through their nervous connection.

She leaned towards Lia as if diving freely into an ocean, arms propped around the asari's slender waist, her lips seeking hers, compelled by the fire burning in their meld, and spelled out the desire that had so completely taken her for Lia in a passionate kiss. Her hands came up and felt along Lia's back, massaging the columns of sensitive spots lining her spine, and she tilted her head to one side, nibbling on Lia's delicate jaw before nuzzling against her neck, planting a trail of kisses down to her collarbone.

Her hand rose to stroke along Lia's crest tenderly before resting on the back of her head, and she pulled back slightly, only to breathe in the sweet scent of the asari in her arms.

Lia's hand lingered on Vel's jaw until the asari leaned in to kiss her. She reluctantly let go, and brought the hand behind her back for support, propping herself up against both arms and only barely keeping herself upright under the physical and emotional passion.

She was left longing, gasping for more when Vel broke from the kiss, her back arching from the teasing fingers, and her thighs pressing together as she tried to get closer to Vel. A small sound of disappointment escaped her when she could not kiss Vel again, drowned soon by her soft sounds of pleasure when she exposed her neck to the asari's kisses.

She did not even try to stop the flood of fantasy when she looked down at Vel, the asari's lips still so tantalizingly close to her skin, now incredibly sensitive all over, the images of Vel traveling lower and lower mixing with those of anticipation of being able to strip away the fabric still separating them, of the beautiful form hidden beneath, of the feel of Vel's skin on hers.

Tilting her head, she ducked lower to capture Vel's lips, one undefinable, shapeless plea in her mind as her lips parted, and her hand urgently slipped underneath the magenta shirt. _Please__…_

Vel responded with an echoing thought of affirmation amidst a whirlpool of passion as Lia's hand slipped under her shirt. Her hips shifted back just slightly, letting the asari's hand slide higher along her side with the hem of her magenta top, inhaling softly as air flowed against a thin strip of teal skin now exposed—chilly, following the trail of heat spreading from Lia's touch.

A moment of hesitation passed before the permission set Lia's hands free, a moment of indulgence in the delightful anticipation. Vel's invitation was echoed by the subtle change in her posture, the asari's form welcoming, tempting, close.

Vel's mind gently nudged Lia's along encouragingly, glowing with a wanting emotion as she swam in the asari's ocean of fantasies, whispering into the meld and letting her know that Vel was hers just as much as Lia belonged in her arms. She guided Lia's other hand to her waist as her kisses slowed to a breathless nuzzle below Lia's ear before she leaned back slightly.

Lia caressed the swell of Vel's hips, enjoying the feel of the slightly giving muscle, all too aware of the asari's gaze on her to truly settle her quickened breath. She slipped the fingers of her other hand under the hem, too, thumbs drawing small circles on top of the fabric as the fingers slid upward along Vel's sides and over her ribs.

Vel's arms rested lightly around the asari's neck, torso stretched to present herself in a welcoming arch. Her lips parted expectantly as she finally drew away along Lia's jawline, teasing her to remove the thin barrier separating their bodies. Waiting. _Letting_.

Lia could hardly focus on the feel of the skin under her fingers, her eyes stealing to drink in every alluring inch of teal revealed. The sharp contours of muscle, the play of light and shadow, the shape of waist, the navel, the tiny shivers of flesh… The urge to lean in to kiss, lick, and nip her way was strong, but she willed her hands to stay on their upward course, curving toward Vel's back as they got higher.

Vel's fingers curled against the folds under Lia's fringes, tracing along the sensitive grooves as the asari's hands slid along her sides, sending her eyes fluttering close. The slowly spreading chill as her shirt was lifted drew a shallow breath from her, soothed only by the warmth of Lia's soft caress.

Light played off microscopic scales on Vel's torso, and her teal skin glistened with tiny specks of white as her body shifted with small movements of unbearable anticipation. She arched her spine under Lia's hands and pushed her chest up, prolonging the slow gliding of her touch. Her fingers dug into Lia's folds when her shirt came to the momentary and delightful stop, and her lips quivered with a soft intake of air as the fabric was pulled over her breasts. She lifted her arms, offering a little resistance only to feel the pressure of Lia's hands.

Lia delighted in the resistance the tightened fabric encountered when it hitched against the asari's breasts, holding her breath and biting her lip when she freed them, the small bounce echoing as a tug within her.

With difficulty she turned her eyes up to seek out Vel's when her hands reached the asari's underarms, holding the gaze while she tilted her head down to softly kiss the tattooed brambles. Her hands lightly but insistently pushed up on Vel's arms, lifting them above the asari's head to slide the shirt off the rest of the way.

Lia threw herself into the flush of yearning from Vel, her own desire long past any control and still deepening with every touch, physical and mental.

She dropped the shirt somewhere, irresistibly drawn back onto the exquisite shape of Vel's torso. She ran one hand down across the asari's back, teasingly close to the most sensitive areas, and the fingers of the other were languidly circling a breast, caressing, cupping the perfection.

Vel's mind glowed with longing even after this short interruption of their closeness, and her arms rested back down around Lia's waist, pulling her closer as she pressed against her, sliding in a rhythmic motion, feeling herself nudging Lia back onto the bed as their bare bodies sought more contact.

Lia gasped softly when Vel took control again, the thrill from the assertiveness far surpassing the temporary denial of the supple breast in her hand. Another gasp welcomed the touch of their bodies… and Vel's motion against her as the asari pushed her down on the bed drove her past conscious control again, her own body responding by grinding against Vel's, seeking something, anything to relieve the ache pooling between her legs.

Bucking against Vel, one hand grasping the asari's rear as the other dug into the muscles in her back, Lia sought out Vel's lips, kissing neck, jaw, chin, relying on sensation and scent when she could not open her eyes.

The feel of Lia's writhing torso under hers was electrifying, and Vel let escape a soft moan as the asari's intense emotion resonated in their meld, mixing with her own burning urges in a sweet whirlwind of desire. Her fingers danced along the back of Lia's head even as her breathing became quickened, massaging Lia's sensitive grooves in response to the passionate undulation of her body. The feedback in their nervous connection was amplified by their greater skin contact, driving Vel, engulfing her in flares of irresistible sensation echoing in Lia. The only release was down, towards the soft embrace of her beautiful partner, and she reveled in every brush of their bodies like a ravishing note in their perfect duet.

The phantasmal sensations from Vel guided Lia to the soft edge of the asari's bottom lip, her small nip turning into a sharp exhalation and a shudder when Vel's fingers again found the strands of nerves behind her crest.

The burning need within her grew, it reached out into Vel and tried to pull the asari's mind tighter around hers even as the shared sensations strengthened. A realization surfaced somewhere in the flood of emotion before being lost again: she had never been this out of control, quite literally unable to stop even if she had wanted to. _Vel…_

Vel's mind was a swirling nebula of colors, glowing almost white-hot from their emotions. She felt the wordless tug from Lia, and in a blink of a thought her conscious awareness flowed around Lia's mind, spreading, fusing with her burning senses. She held Lia in her thoughts tightly, protectively, always in contact as the asari was lost in their storm of passion, even as each pleasured pulse of Lia's mind sent a thrill coursing through her entire being.

Lia's hand slid from the asari's back onto her side even as the one on her behind grasped tighter to pull the rocking hips closer. Her fingers slipped between their bodies, fumbling unconsciously to undo the fastenings of Vel's tights, and her lips pressed onto Vel's, almost desperate to communicate the passion she felt as they parted, tongue shyly flicking against Vel's upper lip.

_Lia... _Vel whispered into the ether of their melded consciousness when her thoughts were broken for an instant by a shiver as Lia's hand slipped between them, her abdomen tensing. Caressing down Lia's arm, her hand joined the effort in a sort of frenzy, and her lips parted by Lia's invitation as she lightly licked the tip of the asari's tongue.

So deeply was Lia joined with Vel that it was becoming hard to tell which hand was whose. Their bodies she could still separate even with the echo of sensation, her legs winding around Vel's, the asari's breasts pressing against her, the deft fingers on the back of her crest… but in the heat between their bodies, the two hands melded into one where they frantically touched, and finally succeeded in freeing Vel from the last thing separating them.

She brought her other hand up momentarily, and slipped her fingers underneath the waist, murmuring into their kiss as she pushed the tights off, her hand sliding over the beautiful, delectable roundness of the asari's rear. The fingers between them, regained for a moment when Vel's hand shifted, grasped the muscles of Vel's abdomen and flank, nails lightly raking the skin.

The safety of Vel's mind embracing hers allowed Lia to let herself feel and express the full depth of her arousal and passion as she kissed the asari deeply, her body trying to be one with Vel's as much as their minds were.

Vel let go of Lia's hand, letting it slide lower as she petted along the asari's arm, pausing briefly as her body was taken by a shiver, her hips shifting against Lia's roaming hand, and she purred softly in approval when the last barrier between them was finally removed.

Lia's caress drove Vel to lick along the folds under the asari's headcrests, flicking and lapping, reciprocating her partner's arousing touch. She broke into exhalations between twirls of her tongue as Lia teased her with her nails, and she pressed against Lia with a curve of her spine, grinding as her hand slid to glide over the soft skin along Lia's leg.

Their physical touch and passion were a catalyst, binding them together as Vel embraced Lia in mind and body. The boundary between their consciousnesses blurred as their thoughts were set on one another, flooded with not only the pleasure of their bodies, but also the bliss of oneness within their melded minds.

Lia's mind was aflame with pure joy from how even the emotions that she could not yet describe in the language of her mind found were so easily found by Vel, and how she could feel them reciprocated in the asari's embrace.

The shared feelings amplified each other, strumming something deep within Lia, the reverberation almost too much for her body to contain. For the first time, she reached into Vel a little, seeking release just as Vel's attentions on her completely exposed neck and crest were building her high to something unbearable.

Whimpering uncontrollably, she rolled her hips underneath Vel, loving the friction from the asari's grinding motion against her. She shifted slightly, and parted her thighs and lifted her knees, her dextrous toes seeking out the waist of Vel's tights and feverishly working to help push them down along the asari's thighs and shins.

With a bit of contortion, Vel reached back and unzipped her boots, pushing them off the heels of her feet and kicked them off. Continuing the progress Lia started, she hooked onto the waist of her tights with her toes and finally pushed the fabric off her legs. She pressed tightly against Lia, prompted by her pull, and her back involuntarily curved in a pleading arch towards Lia's hand, drawing out a soft mewl as the asari's teasing thumb traced lightly along her breast.

Lia tightened her grasp on Vel's rear, pulling the asari's hips closer to hers even as her other hand trailed up between their bodies to finally cup a breast, thumb lightly, teasingly tracing the contours.

The strength of her yearning still surprised her when she let it all free into Vel. _I need you._ She needed Vel now, tomorrow…

Vel's other hand trailed lower along Lia's chest, but she paused, gasping uncontrollably, fingers digging into Lia's blue skin briefly as her mind was suddenly flooded with the asari's presence. The delight of their shared affection and the... heavenly physical sensation permeated through her core, and she let it take her.

For the first time Vel let Lia's emotion take her completely. Her mind and body were only able to respond in the most primitive language of passion as she lost herself in the yearning building up in her partner. Between the flares of their intertwined consciousness, Vel's lips found Lia's again, her thoughts a blur as they raced, but one was as clear as what she had felt from Lia. _I__'__m__yours__._

Lia felt Vel's sentiment more than consciously understood it, the asari being there for her simply becoming an inalienable fact of their joining. Vel's passion drew her in more and more until she was lost in the kiss and the gasps of their shared breath, the asari's sweet lips both sating her need to be closer and stoking it, leaving her craving for more.

Every one of Lia's touches stirred raw sensations in Vel as their consciousnesses joined. Each stroke of the asari's agile fingers lit up pulses of pure pleasure in her mind than simple physical contact ever could, made even more overwhelming by Lia's affection that intertwined with hers.

_I'm yours... _she repeated, moving and flowing with the roll of Lia's hips, mind and body both melting under her sensual caress. _Now, and tomorrow..._

Lia reached further down with her hand, the feel of the contour arousing her to what would have been a deeply embarrassing degree without the safety and acceptance Vel had enveloped her in. Her hips bucked against the asari's again, the need too overwhelming to control even as the her fingers slid down the back of Vel's thigh, the tips digging into the skin along the cords of muscle just a little.

Her other hand existed only under the guidance of the sensations from Vel, squeezing, tweaking, teasing and caressing the asari's breasts, following the strokes eliciting the sharpest pleasures to give all that she could give Vel.

She broke from the kiss to trace her lips down Vel's chin and jaw to lay a trail of kisses and nibbles down her neck even as the touch along the asari's thigh became lighter as Lia's fingers deftly curved onto the inner thigh and trailed upwards ever so slowly.

A whimper escaped Vel's lips as Lia teased with her light trailing hand, and her body shifted like it was under the asari's spell, squirming against Lia's touch as her senses take her. Vel's fingers managed to rub along the grooves under Lia's headcrests, and her other hand continued the trail down the asari's chest, delicately tracing her soft mound before cupping it in the palm of her hand, her thumb brushing over the sensitive spot.

_Yours_, Lia echoed with all her being. She was Vel's as much as the asari was hers… in the chaos of the war, in the unlikeliest of places, she had finally found home.

The echoing emotion imprinted deeply in Vel's mind with the voice of her lover's very being and the tender kisses along her collarbone, weaving into her consciousness like an inseparable thread in a tapestry, and she wanted Lia. She wanted to feel her, to please her, and to immerse in the warmth radiating in her presence. Vel found peace in Lia's mind, and at the same time her thoughts burned with a white-hot desire.

Lia gasped breathlessly when Vel's fingers simultaneously stroked her crest and her breast, lips pressing ravenously around the soft skin just above the collarbone. Sucking and nibbling, her lips were guiding her further down while her crest sought more contact with the asari's fingers, their touch stimulating such waves of pleasure that she might have found release with nothing beside them… but she wanted all. Urging Vel to continue her caress_…deeper…there…_ she kissed the _V_ between the asari's collarbones, tongue drawing a circle on that softest of skins.

Vel followed Lia's whispers, fingers tracing along her headcrests before slipping under the grooves, rubbing the sensitive flesh under the folds. Her other hand gave Lia's breast a gentle squeeze, letting the asari's building sensation orchestrate the dexterous movements of her fingers.

Lia couldn't help her fingers digging into the softness of Vel's inner thigh when she shuddered with the building ecstasy. With much effort, she made her touch lighter again, fingers sliding up toward the heat only to teasingly stop at the groove where thigh met groin. With a synchronous nip at Vel's collar, she drew her hand back onto the asari's rear, stopping for a moment to savor the tingle it elicited in her before she continued her trail over the asari's hip and onto her lower abdomen. Sliding her fingers between their bodies, lightly digging into Vel's mound, she paused for the briefest moment.

Vel's desire seared to an unbearable degree, sending a shiver through her from the ghostly feel Lia left in the wake of her teasing fingers. She gasped as Lia's hand again slipped between them, her breath stilling in anticipation as the asari's touch trailed between her thighs. She pleaded, not in words or even tangible thought, but in a raw emotion of need.

The room receded from Lia's reality when Vel's need became one with hers, the power of the emotion turning her inside out even as the pleasure from the maiden's divine fingers coursed through her body in a wave made manifest with first her chest and then stomach and hips thrusting against the asari.

The sensation an infinite reverberation between the two, forever building as each felt the other's pleasure… and then the echo of _that _echo, made the cabin melt away, and the soft, silken surface underneath her fade into nothing and leaving the two of them suspended in a field of stars, the pink and magenta of the nebula dancing on their bare, joined form. Without was the ageless cold and absolute stillness of space, and within only their shared heat, and the perfect, loving motion as their bodies synchronized, slowed as the moment stretched into eternity.

With Vel's permission… her _demand_, her need, Lia drew her other hand away with a last, longing brush over the hardened point of Vel's breast, and then gripped behind the asari's crest almost desperately as she pulled her back into a deep kiss. Impossible as it was to tell that it was her hand sliding over the heat between Vel's legs and not the asari's on Lia's, she wordlessly urged Vel to reciprocate, the need to feel the asari in her overpowering as she cupped Vel's slick folds in her palm before pulling her hand back ever so slightly, finally letting her fingers explore the asari. _Take me…_

Vel's consciousness melted for a brief moment as she was drawn into a passionate kiss. Her perception of the surroundings peeled away then concentrated into one single being in her arms. Lia was her entire universe as they freely floated in the space of their fused minds, devoid of awareness of anything else besides each other, and the only thing that grounded Vel—the only thing that encompassed her existence was her lover's heavenly touch and hungry urge.

She felt her chest tighten, letting a moan into the kiss as the asari explored. _Lia__.._. she whispered in the meld as the presence of her lover flooded her mind and all her thoughts. Collecting herself just barely enough to will her hand away from Lia's breast with a lingering brush, Vel trailed down the roundness and the asari's tense navel, finding her way along the quiver of her hips and the soft crease where her leg met torso. She pressed her palm between Lia's thighs, letting the asari's desire take her breath before curling her fingers, caressing to convey the ripples of pleasure Lia drew in her.

_Vel_

Lia couldn't have told whether she physically gasped the name of her lover into their kiss, or if it was an inward expression of her feelings for the asari who now filled the entirety of what she could perceive.

The sensation of Vel entering her was profound and primitive, Lia's body responding to it in the only language it knew. She thrust herself against the caress in an instinctive rhythm, a low, soft mewl escaping her as she gripped Vel tighter, their bodies joining as their minds were. The blissful confusion of feeling her lover inside her, and her own fingers easing into the slick, quivering heat closing tightly around them, and Vel's sensations of the same had made the togetherness something incredible, and time drew away like the tide, their shared pleasure stretching into uncounted minutes.

The ethereal whisper of her name between breathless gasps and the waves of building pleasure Lia so skillfully fiddled within her drew Vel into the rhyme of her lover, each stroke pushing her towards the searing crescendo. Quickened moans filled her chest, and the reverberation of their shared sensation coursed through her being, melting away words into bliss. Her fingers followed the echo of their caress within each other, eagerly pleasuring the most sensitive spots with a hunger for the quiver in her lover's body.

With her thumb and the heel of her hand pleasuring the small bundle of nerves just above Vel's entrance, and her fingers curving to find the most sensitive spots within, the intimacy of the physical and mental connections they shared, the enormity of the emotions, and the reciprocation and security she had in Vel were so powerful that it could not last for much longer, the first uncontrollable shudders of her apex rocking her and curling her toes and fingers, muscles contracting tightly around Vel's was the only concept that remained through the white-hot pleasure as she threw herself into Vel completely.

Lia's burning thought was felt, not heard, through a shiver that began overtaking Vel. She could only mirror the emotion as she lost herself in the next pass of Lia's fingers, the shiver turning into an overwhelming shudder that traveled up her spine, driving her into a frantic writhing. Her mind blanked for an instant, and there was only Lia as every nerve ending in her body screamed ecstasy.

The pure, raw pleasure in their shared orgasm did what nothing else could and erased the final barrier between them. Every part of Lia's being soared, freed from physical limitations and barriers for a glorious, blissful moment that stretched into forever as the pure white of pleasure collapsed into the brilliant blue of eternity in which only their joined self remained.

For a brief moment Vel's whole universe was alight with a presence. It was glowing, passionate, and_ soul-consumingly_ attractive. It was a font of affection and pleasure, and it guided her through the blissful storm. It was so bright that it chased away any lonesome shadow, yet so... familiar, as if Vel had been a part of the threads of being that began to emerge, swirling with fabrics of her own mind.

It was Lia.

Untold time had passed when Lia's consciousness welled again. The beautiful, spiritual weightlessness still softly enveloping her evoked the thought that she may have died… and it was all right, this goddess infusing Lia and everything around her.

Only slowly the throbs of their still-synchronized heartbeats exorcised the illusion and led her into the reality that was, if anything, more heavenly.

Shuddering with aftershocks, she struggled to catch her breath in her lover's embrace, glistening bodies intertwined. Vel was still inside her, the asari's weight reassuringly on top of her when she opened her eyes to seek out Vel's. She reached across their joined minds, gently caressing Vel's. Trying to embrace the asari in turn, she let her… her _love_ envelop Vel. She did not feel the tears on her cheeks when she softly whispered her lover's name.

Vel followed, and at times led; twirled, and held Lia's presence that returned the warmth gently, fiercely—returned with undeniable love, and Vel responded. She kept Lia close with the same emotion that pulsed within their shared mind, not letting go as she began to regain her form, falling with Lia through a newly discovered gravity to their breathless embrace and entangled bodies.

"Lia..." Vel whispered to the voice so close to her, catching her breath even as her body writhed with sweet shivers that still rippled through her. There were no words as their eyes met but a smile, a tender gaze as Vel noticed Lia's tears, and a soft kiss that expressed something deeply different than before.

No words were needed when Vel kissed her, the wonder-full requital of love so clear in the asari's soft lips that it sent quivers through Lia again. She dove in the pools of Vel's eyes, knowing that she would never be lost, never drowned. The swirling obsidian receded and revealed more of the beautiful magenta as the intensity of their meld slowly ebbed with their shared breaths.

Lia's consciousness was still flush with Vel's wondrous presence as they slowly recovered, even this lightest of connections only leaving them independent but not separated from each other. Lia reached in to cradle Vel's mind in turn, the asari's protective, loving hold on Lia's never faltering as the meld deepened once more.

With another soft, infinitely tender kiss, Lia slowly rolled the both of them on their sides, knowing that even the asari's strong arms and the gentle hand behind Lia's crest could not support her the entire night, not after the blissful exhaustion from the hours that they both had completely lost track and concept of. She whimpered with loss into the kiss when Vel finally withdrew from her, and when she herself had to part from the warm, inviting body of her lover for the few seconds it took to draw the silken sheets up to cover them and mold the mattress below them into pillows.

With a contented sigh, she nestled tightly back into Vel's arms and laid her forehead against the asari's. The light, rolling waves of their love were the undercurrent for the exchange of ever-more fickle and fleeting thoughts as they both slowly drifted toward sleep.


End file.
